Oboro Muramasa: A Shattered Past
by Aegis Runestone
Summary: After leaving her grandparents behind, a young girl named Oboro sets out to find her identity, and the being named 'Jinkuro,' Haunted by nightmares, Oboro seeks her answers from a god who resides on the top of Mount Fuji. However, her quest has just begun as she discovers that her mind is too fragile to receive all the answers at once.
1. Act 1: A Faint Memory

_Disclaimer: All characters, areas, etc. of Muramasa – The Demon Blade belong to Vanillaware (c) 2009. I own the interpretations of the characters within this story, and any made up characters, and my interpretation of the areas. This fan story is based off the Wii version of Muramasa, though has some of the translations from the Vita. Names from the Wii version will be used, so do not be alarmed if you see those._

_SPOILER WARNING: This story is based off Momohime's second ending from the game. If you have not gotten that far, it is highly recommended that you complete that first before reading this story._

Oboro Muramasa: A Shattered Past

by

Aegis Runestone

Act 1: A Faint Memory

"Jinkuro..." she called, wandering in the darkness. "Where are you? ... who are you?" She shivered. Wherever she was, it was cold. She could see her icy breath escape her mouth.

She continued to walk through the darkness, carrying her sheathed Muramasa blade in her hand. "Jinkuro? Anyone? Someone answer me!" she called out.

"You can't find him," said a dark voice from behind her. She spun around to see a figure approach her. The figure was shadowed, so she couldn't make out a face. "You don't know him... and you don't even know yourself."

She reached for her blade's hilt. "Who are you?" she asked with a shaky voice.

The figure laughed. "I am your end."

Chains shot out from the darkness, binding every limb she had—arms and legs. She struggled, but the chains were too strong for her.

"Let me go!" she cried out.

"I can't," the shadowed figure said. "Because... you have chosen to bind yourself to him!"

-S-

Oboro woke up screaming, "Jinkuro!" She opened her eyes and realized she was not in the darkness anymore. She shivered, wrapping her arms around herself while sitting in the snow. In front of her was a dead fire pit.

Oboro looked around and saw that her Muramasa—her grandpa's blade—was still next to her on the ground. But that was not what worried her.

"Kiku?" She called out with all the strength she could muster in the snow. "Kiku!" Oboro took in deep breaths and swallowed. _I need warmth..._ she thought.

She noticed her winter kimono had fallen on the ground. Breathing quickly and heavily, she picked it up and shook the snow off of it. Pulling it over the top of her orange and yellow kimono, Oboro began to feel warmer already.

She called out again, "Kiku! Where are you, little fox?"

Then, a fox with a white coat appeared from behind a snow pile. Oboro didn't understand why she could see her in the blizzard, but was happy to see the white fox.

Kiku bounced over to Oboro and let out a yelp.

"Good girl," Oboro said, feeling relieved. She rubbed Kiku's head with gentleness, and Kiku appeared to smile (at least, so Oboro thought).

She shivered again. It was the nightmare again; her nightmares were never the same, save that she would always be bound by chains, and the same phrase coming from the figure at the end. Sometimes, the chains were immediate, other times, Oboro felt like she traveled through her nightmare for days, maybe weeks even, before she met the shadowed figure.

And always, she was seeking out 'Jinkuro.'

_Who is this 'Jinkuro?'_ She wondered. _Why do I have these odd feelings of longing whenever I think of his name? Who was he? Or who is he?_

The words from her nightmare echoed. "_I can't, because... you have chosen to bind yourself to him!_"

Did that mean this 'Jinkuro' was a terrible person? Someone out to harm her? Yet, her heart kept telling her something else. How could she find the answers she sought?

She looked toward the large mountain—Mount Fuji—in the distance. _They say that those who climb to the top can receive the deepest answers of their heart. But... who gives those answers?_

Feeling warm again, Oboro reached over and took hold of her Muramasa. She slid the weapon out of the sheath, wondering and gazing into its shining blade. _They also say those who stare too long at a Muramasa will be driven insane with bloodlust._ Yet, Oboro had stared many times at her Muramasa in admiration of its perfect edge and somehow never lost her sanity.

Her grandpa had found her with the blade, unconscious over half a year ago. He and his wife took care of her for that time. Oboro had never been so happy. Yet, one day...

-S-

Demons approached Oboro's house—onis—One was crimson as heated metal, and he was gigantic, while the others were small.

And they wanted to eat her. The giant one was already salivating at the sight of Oboro. "Such fair and soft-looking skin. You'll be more delicious than the girls from the other village."

"Buddha..." Oboro's grandma muttered in prayer. "Please save Oboro's life."

"You two run for it while... I distract them. Oh, dear..." her grandpa had said, holding the blade in his shaky hand.

Then something happened. Oboro snatched the blade out of her grandpa's hand with the speed of lightning and then slashed apart the demons with swift strikes.

"What...? How can this happen?" the large oni asked before his head fell to ground, joining his lifeless body.

Oboro—as if this was natural—twirled the blade twice before sheathing it. Her grandparents questioned how she did it. "I don't know," she had said. "The blade just felt comfortable in my hand, like I was born to wield it." Tears broke from her brown eyes. "If anyone found out about this, you would be in danger. I'm sorry, but I must leave you—to find my own identity and who this 'Jinkuro' is."

-S-

Oboro wiped the tears from her eyes. _One month... and I still miss them._ She felt someone tug at her kimono sleeve and she glanced over to Kiku trying to get her attention. Oboro smiled.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. Kiku nodded. "All right." She searched her knapsack and took out a piece of tofu. It was frozen. "Hum... I think—"

Kiku didn't seem to care, instead she grabbed the tofu and nibbled on it.

_Kiku..._ Oboro had met this white fox while living with grandpa and grandma. For some odd reason, she felt a connection to Kiku. Almost every day, the fox had visited her with a sad look in her eyes. That look kept making Oboro wonder if she had forgotten something very important.

When she left, the fox had followed her, and Oboro decided to let her come along while giving her the name she was now called by.

Despite her friend's stubbornness, Oboro took a stone and flint, flicking them together, and started a small fire. As if she knew, Kiku brought the tofu over to the fire to let it thaw.

The heat of the fire was well appreciated by Oboro. She blew onto her hand, wrapped in cloth and rubbed them together.

_So quiet... so lonely..._ Oboro tried to listen for any sounds of life besides her breath and Kiku's crunching, but all she heard was the wind and snow. She started to smell the tofu warm up and sizzle—making herself hungry.

She reached into her knapsack and took out a peach. Oboro bit down on it—it was delicious, yet cold to her taste. Regardless, she kept eating until she had finished the fruit. She looked at her friend.

"Kiku, are you finished?" she asked with a smile.

The fox didn't respond, instead, she kept gnawing at the thawing meat. She seemed to have eaten a portion of it and it worried Oboro. _I hope she's not cold inside._ She rubbed Kiku's back and then scratched behind her ears.

"Come now," Oboro said after a few moments. "Kiku, we need to leave. The top of the mountain is waiting for us." _And all the answers I'm looking for..._

After prodding her a bit, Kiku got up—still carrying the tofu—and looked ready to go. Oboro put out the fire and stood up, bandaging her hands with cloth in order to keep them warm. With another smile at her fox friend, she turned around with Muramasa in hand and began her journey to the top.

-S-

Oboro's black hair made it easy for her to stand out in the snow. She kept encountering assassins—ninjas, who wanted her dead. And they continued to call her...

"Look, it's Princess Momohime!" a ninja in black said, fiddling with a shuriken. "Get her!"

Three other ninjas jumped out of the snow, unsheathing their wakizashis, running at her.

Oboro was only fifteen, yet despite her age, she always felt focused when she entered combat with others. She drew grandpa's blade with swiftness. The first ninja who had called her 'Momohime,' threw his shuriken at her.

Oboro rolled back to avoid the other three and then struck the shuriken with her blade, repelling it back at its owner. He tried to dodge, but the shuriken landed right into his leg. He let out a grunt of pain and tore it out.

The other three surrounded her. "Get back, Kiku!" she commanded. But her friend, as usual, would never leave Oboro's side. Instead, the fox growled and attacked the ninja to Oboro's side, taking a bite out of his arm. He yelped in surprise and tried to shake Kiku off.

Then, Oboro was suddenly grabbed around the throat; it was one of the ninja's wakizashis that threatened to slice open her neck. Oboro turned her blade backward and stabbed the ninja in the gut. The ninja fell to the ground and then crawled to his knees.

Oboro with grace, spun in a circle and severed the ninja's head off cleanly with her Muramasa.

The ninja that had been attacked by Kiku, jumped back and pulled out a shuriken, he thrust it Oboro's direction, but again, she deflected it with her blade in time, knocking back into the ninja's chest. He let a yelp of pain before ripping out the shuriken.

Oboro was worried. _Where's Kiku?_ She turned around to see the ninja with the injured leg being bitten the same location by Kiku. He raised his wakizashi to slice the fox in half. Oboro was too fast for him as she clashed her blade against his own to protect her friend.

She saw Kiku let go and then ram into the wounded leg of the ninja. He stumbled and fell down pass the hill straight onto the flat, snowy ground. Oboro heard a sickening crack from below and she winced.

The two remaining ninjas flanked Oboro. She immediately jumped away from the cliff and dashed toward the one in front of her. She swung her weapon at him, but her foe sidestepped and cut her arm with his wakizashi. Then, he punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. Oboro tasted blood and wiped it from her face.

Flipping backwards into the air to avoid another shuriken (which landed plainly in the arm of the ninja, who had injured her), Oboro impaled the ninja that had been behind her to the ground with her Muramasa. The sword's power instantly killed the ninja.

Only one remained; he started to run for it. Oboro rolled forward and managed to slice his feet, disabling his ability to move. He fell face-first into the snow and grunted.

She picked him up by the back of his shirt and brought her blade to his neck. _Really... why are all these assassins after me? _she wondered. Oboro shuddered at the trail of blood and dead bodies she left behind.

However, she spoke in a stern voice to the ninja. "Surrender and I'll spare your life. Refuse and I will be forced to kill you."

"Wha-what do you want?" the ninja asked with shaky voice. Oboro could barely see the beads of sweat running down his face. "I'll tell you anything! J-just let me go, princess."

"First, why do you keep calling me 'Momohime?' she asked. "My name is Oboro. And I hardly believe that I can be a princess."

"Can't you notice?" the ninja asked. "Your grace... your lady-like manners. Most village girls aren't born or taught to be as elegant as you... Oboro," he added, almost spitting her name.

Oboro paused for a moment, taking in his words. "Are you trying to flatter me?" she asked.

"No! I'm telling the truth!" the ninja said. "Please let me go!"

"Not yet... I have more questions," she said flatly. "I fought many ninjas on my way to Mount Fuji. Why are so many trying to kill me?"

"Because... you're Princess Momohime," said the ninja. "You... must have amnesia or something. You can't even remember your real name! Or even accept it."

"If I am Momohime," Oboro said slowly, yet with a softer voice. "Then I need to find that out for myself. I do not think I can believe the words of an assassin. Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. I'll spare your life on the condition that you tell your fellow assassins not to attack me. I am seeking enlightenment that is at the peak of this mountain."

"As you wish," the ninja said, sounding relieved. He had stopped shaking. "However, I cannot guarantee that they will avoid attacking you, Oboro. We're being paid to kill you. But I will promise that I won't try to harm you anymore. Deal?"

Oboro lowered her sword from his neck. "I will honor your promise then," she said, letting him go. "I hope you honor yours. Now, let me help you bandage your feet so you can move."

"You would... help an enemy?" the ninja asked, turning around. His eyes were wide with amazement. "You astonish me, princess. But then again, they always said you were a kind person."

Oboro nodded and sheathed her blade. She took some bandages from her knapsack (which she had dropped before combat) and helped the ninja bind his wounds. "I have one more question for you," Oboro said. "Who is paying you to kill me?"

The ninja shrugged. "We don't really know," he said. Oboro hoped he was being honest. "We've seen him, a man wearing robes as dark as a starless night. We've never seen his face, but he promised gold in return for your capture or your head."

Oboro nodded. "Very well," she said. Standing up, she added, "when your wounds heal, leave. If our paths cross again, I hope they will be on friendly terms."

The ninja also nodded. "They will be... because of your kindness. Thank you, Momo—err... Oboro."

She nodded at him again, walked back to her knapsack, and placed it over her shoulder. "Kiku?" she called out. The white fox bounced over to her again to her feet. Oboro couldn't help but smile. She rubbed the fox's head. "Good girl. You fought well. Come, let's go."

With that, she left the wounded ninja behind. She continued to glance behind her in case he broke his promise, but she noticed that he never even looked back at her.

The climb to the peak of Mount Fuji continued, and the way became steeper for Oboro and Kiku, making it a difficult journey.

The ice cut into her skin despite being wrapped in thick bandages, and she winced with pain. Yet she kept climbing, and finally, she reached a flat cliff. Pulling herself up with the unusual strength she had, Oboro let herself fall flat on the plateau.

_It's not possible that I can make it to the top if the climb is going to get worse._ Then she heard a little yelp and felt a tongue licking her face. "Kiku? How did you—ack!" she allowed herself giggle as the fox vigorously licked her. "Stop, stop, stop!" Oboro said, sitting up. Kiku sat on her rump, looking confused.

"It's all right, I just need to catch my breath," she said.

Taking a look at her hands, Oboro noted that the cloths on them had ripped. She reached for her knapsack and pulled out more bandages. She then wrapped her hand up in the cloth and placed pressure on it. She wondered again who Jinkuro was. Being on the mountain made her think and then... _What? I... feel like I've been somewhere like here before._

In her mind, she saw the peak of a fiery mountain, and she saw... herself? She was kneeling on the ground next to a dead boy, and she covered in blood and wounds, as if she were about to die.

But then the memory slipped from her mind. "What was that?" she said aloud. "Did... I die? Am I someone else reincarnated? No. That can't be possible." She shook her head. The memory had become so faint that all she could remember was the fiery mountain now. The images of herself and the boy had vanished.

Her head was aching from the image. "Ugh..." She placed a hand on her head to soothe the pain; though it only increased. Soon, however, the pain went away. Oboro didn't understand. _Why does __my head hurt whenever I remember something?_

The last time Oboro had experienced this pain was when she was traveling through the Totomi province. She had seen another vision, however, she could not remember it anymore. Would this recent vision slip away as the other did?

Sighing, Oboro stood up, she noticed Kiku looking at her with a worried glimmer in her eyes. "I will be all right, Kiku," she said with a soothing voice. She continued to place pressure on her hand's wound. After waiting for what seemed an hour in cold, Oboro decided to move on—her hand had stopped hurting.

She continued to climb—this time it was easier—going up slope by slope. She pulled herself onto another plateau and then gazed below. "We're above the clouds," she noted. "I think we're half-way there, Kiku."

"The way up is clear, but the way down is dark," a hollow voice said from behind her.

Oboro spun around, fingering her Muramasa. Before her stood a man in a large brown cloak; she couldn't see his face. He stood before a cavity in the mountain. Was this the figure from her nightmares?

"Who are you?" she asked as calmly as she could, still keeping her hand on her blade's hilt. She could hear Kiku growling at the man.

"Who you see is lost in the light, yet found in the darkness," the man said.

"I don't understand," Oboro said, relaxing her grip on her blade, yet eying him with suspicion. "Do you know something about me? Is that why you're here?"

"The gods will block your path; there will be no hope."

"What?" Oboro blinked, shaking her head in disbelief. "Nothing you say makes any sense."

"All becomes clear with Jinkuro, yet when will the skies clear?"

Oboro gasped. _Jinkuro? Does this man know something about him?_ "Please!" she said, taking hold of the man's shoulders. "You mentioned 'Jinkuro.' Who is he? Why do I seek him in my dreams and why do I cry out his name when I sleep?"

"Your mind is like a delicate plate; at the point of breaking," the man said, not reacting to Oboro's outburst. "If you saw him, it will shatter now, but if you wait, it will piece together."

"I don't understand," she said, letting go of his shoulders. "Wait... is that why my head hurts whenever I remember something?"

"Beware the Narukami; for it will beat you."

Oboro raised a confused brow. How could a location beat her? And what did he mean by 'beat?'

"Farewell, may your journey be complete." The cloaked man then turned around and headed into the cave.

"Wait!" Oboro called out. "You know something! Speak sense to me!" She followed the man into the cave, only to find a dead end. Where had the man gone? She looked left and right, confused.

She scratched her head and let out a heavy sigh. Oboro looked down to see Kiku looking at her as well. "Well, I suppose we must keep climbing to find the answers." The fox seemed to nod at her. Oboro smiled and scratched her head. "You're a good friend, Kiku." The fox licked her hand.

-S-

It only became more difficult. Oboro's hands were stained with blood from the wounds they had received from the ice. She grunted as she pulled herself up each slope, wincing. _I will... make... it... to the top._ Somehow, a hidden strength she had kept Oboro going despite her painful wounds. Her stomach growled loudly, and her eyes were threatening to close on her.

Yet, she continued to ascend.

Finally, after several hours of climbing, Oboro pulled herself onto a flat cliff ledge and saw a road-like path ahead of her. Breathing in relief, she started to run, only to fall into the snow. She felt Kiku's tongue lick her face, and she opened her eyes. She tried to push herself up, but her hands complained with rage.

"Ugh..." Oboro winced. "Too much..." She took out some more bandages and wrapped up her hands. Using her body, Oboro pressed against her wounded hands, applying more pressure. "Ugh..." she breathed. "Why... didn't I bring gloves?" She bit her lip and the pain was becoming too strong.

With all the strength she he could muster, Oboro reached into her knapsack and took out a flask of sake. Grimacing as she touched the cold beverage with her hand, she opened the lid and downed the contents. Fortunately, the bag had managed to keep it warm enough so that it didn't freeze. Though, that didn't explain the tofu.

But Oboro didn't care. In fact, the sake helped dull the pain in her hands. Taking in deep breaths, she pushed herself up from the ground, and then pulled the knapsack over her shoulder.

She walked up the road-like path, Kiku following her, carrying her Muramasa in her right hand. Soon, she felt warmth overcoming the cold as she walked up the path. _Am I close to the top?_ She wondered. Oboro kept pressing forward, ignoring the pain in her hands.

The path circled around and Oboro could see the peak just above her. She ran up the steps only stopping to wait for Kiku, and then crawled up onto the summit.

A triumphant smile passed over her face. "I did it!" she cried, raising her hands into the sky.

Then a large shadow passed over her and Kiku and a loud voice echoed above them.

"Another mortal dares to climb my mountain!" the voice said. "What are you seeking? Gold? Power? Immortality? I will give none of these things to mortals."

"W-who's there?" Oboro asked, shaking, and looking around in the sky. She noticed thick, black clouds covering the sky. "I... I climbed the mountain seeking answers. I-I need to know who I am!"

Silence.

Then the voice spoke again, less harsh this time. "Who you are?" it repeated. "I have never met a mortal who sought to know their true identity before."

The clouds broke open and large dragon appeared in front of Oboro and Kiku. The first thing that crossed Oboro's mind was _run!_ But she was frozen in place, with her mouth opening and closing.

"You asked who is here," the dragon said to her. "I am the dragon god. You remind me of a mortal who defeated me in battle once. Using a sword like yours: a Muramasa."

Oboro felt like she could move again as her body stopped shaking. "Th-the dragon god?" she muttered. "Um... are you the one who answers the questions of what people desire most?"

"I do," he said. "Except it has been become quite tiring as many ask for what I already told you: gold, power, immortality, and other things of nonsense. Yet, your intentions seem noble. I will answer your questions."

"Thank you, o great one," Oboro said with a deep bow. "I need to know who I am. This blade—this Muramasa—feels comfortable in my hand, as if I were created to use it. I was able to defeat a group of demons who threatened my family with it. Yet... I'm not sure how. What do I do? How do I find out who I am?"

"I know your face," the dragon god said. "Yes, yes, I know your face. Tell me, what have people called you as you came to my mountain?"

"Well," Oboro said with a pause. "People in villages just called me by my name—Oboro—but assassins who attacked me on my way up here continued to call me 'Princess Momohime.' I don't understand, and I can't believe that I'm a princess."

"You doubt that name, then?"

"Yes, I do."

"Hmm..."

"What is it?" Oboro asked, feeling a little nervous again.

"Your mind... no," he started, shaking his head. "No, you cannot know _that _yet."

"But... I... I need to know," Oboro pleaded, clasping her hands together. "Please. Every night I sleep, I have nightmares, I talk in my sleep about a 'Jinkuro,' and in my dreams I am always searching for him."

The dragon god's eyes widened to Oboro's surprise. "Jinkuro," he breathed. "It's best you did not learn the full truth yet. This much I can tell you; the being you seek is a demon, or a man considered to be like one."

The words struck her like a sharpened blade. _A demon? Jinkuro's a demon?_ "Wh-what?" she muttered. She raised her head to the dragon god. "Why would I seek out a demon?"

"I don't know," the dragon god said to her disappointment. "But... not all demons are inherently evil. Perhaps you seek him to redeem him, perhaps you seek him for other reasons. I do not know because I cannot answer all your questions that I see in your mind. Not yet."

"Why?"

"What happens when you remember something, Oboro?"

She looked down and pressed her fingers to her lips. "My head hurts," she said. "Sometimes, I forget the visions I had of my past because of the pain. I... I don't know what to do." She buried her face in her hands. If the dragon god couldn't answer her questions, then who could?

"Do not cry, Oboro," the dragon god said with a gentle voice. "It is perfectly natural for you—at this point—for your head to hurt whenever you remember a part of your past."

"Why is that?" Oboro asked, licking her lips.

"It must have something to do with something that happened in your past," the dragon god said. "Fear not, I know of a way to solve your dilemma. Go to the Musashi Province east of here, and someone there will guide you."

"All right," she nodded. Oboro bowed again. "Thank you for helping me, o dragon god." She turned around to descend the mountain, but noticed that it was covered in the darkness of night.

_The way up is clear, but the way down is dark._ She remembered the words of the cloaked man. _Is he... some sort of prophet?_ She turned back to face the dragon god. "Forgive me, but do you know a cloaked man on this mountain?"

"No," he said. "I have not sensed a being as such in my mountain. Your hands are weak," he added, noting them. "You cannot climb down Mount Fuji with such wounds, Oboro. Let me heal your hands and by the breath of my mouth, I will carry you to the edge of Musashi. Seek out a shrine, and there, you will find your guide."

Oboro nodded. "Thank you. Please," she added, swallowing. "Let this white fox named Kiku come with me, o great one."

"Of course, I already planned for that." Then, he breathed wind onto Oboro and Kiku. Oboro felt her hands become painless and her body regain its warmth. The wind picked her and her friend up into the air and she began to float away from the summit.

"Good luck, Oboro," the dragon god said. "I will pray for your success."


	2. Act 2: Lost Fragments

Act 2: Lost Fragments

Even from the outskirts of the Musashi province, the journey was long and difficult for Oboro. Traveling across the stone roads, she was being constantly attacked by assassins. Taking to the shadows behind the sakura trees, Oboro avoided combat. She was still feeling too weak from her climb up Mount Fuji to fight any of her foes.

As she continued her journey, misfortune fell upon her. Gripping her stomach, the pains of hunger continued to haunt Oboro. Her eyelids became heavier and heavier with every step. She could feel Kiku pressing against her feet, trying to help her go on.

"Uhhnn..." Oboro stopped, blinking. The nighttime sky around her started to meld together into darkness. "No, must... stay... awake," she said to herself, rubbing her eyes.

It didn't help. Her knapsack was light, and her stomach continued to growl louder. Then, Oboro closed her eyes and collapsed onto the ground. The last thing she felt before drifting into sleep was Kiku licking her face.

When Oboro awoke, she found herself in complete darkness. She stood up and heard a male voice call out, "_Momohime... Momohime..._" The voice sounded so familiar to her. Where had she heard it before?

"Hello?" she called out to the voice. "Who's there?" Oboro's head began to hurt, and she fell to her knees. She saw something; a flicker of green light, and then the voice returned to her.

"_Momohime..._" The voice was deep, harsh, and yet was somehow soothing at the same time. At least, to her it was soothing; so soothing that her heart yearned to hear more of it.

"Hello?" Oboro called out again. "Who are you? Where are you?" Maybe this time she'd find out... find out what?

Then, she was bound with chains again. They shot at her from all sides and captured her. Oboro screamed, "let me go! I have to find him! I have to! I just know..." The chains somehow drained her energy—she could feel it, flowing from her body to her bonds.

"I have... to... find... him..." Her eyes began to close, and she felt weak. "Him... Jinkuro..."

And then, she died.

-S-

Oboro gasped, sitting up. She put on her hand on her forehead and she felt cold sweat over her skin. The nightmare had been different this time, why? And why did she die? Did this 'Jinkuro' want her dead? Yet, if that were so, why did her heart feel so different whenever she thought of his name?

_I'm so confused..._ she thought with a sigh.

Oboro looked down to see a frightened Kiku staring up at her. "What's wrong, girl?" she asked with a soft, yet curious voice. "Don't worry, I am all right. It was just a dream." She petted Kiku's fur, yet the fox didn't seem to relax. "Huh? What is bothering you, Kiku?"

"She's afraid," said a female voice behind Oboro.

Immediately, Oboro jumped up and spun around, grabbing the handle of her Murmasa. Who she saw was a tall white fox—in humanoid form—wearing a lovely green kimono and carrying an umbrella. _A kitsune!_

"And you also don't need to be, Oboro," said the kitsune. "It's been a long time since I last saw your face," she added, smiling.

"My face?" Oboro perked up, and let go of the Muramasa. "Wait! Do you know who I am? Are the guide the dragon god talked about?" She peered around and saw a shrine to her right. It was simple shrine that was almost hidden by the darkness of the night. "You must be," she added, looking back the kitsune.

"Indeed, I am, Oboro," she said. "My name is Yuzuruha." She glanced at Kiku. "Your fox friend has no reason to be fearful." Yuzuruha reached down to pet Kiku, but she withdrew her hand quickly as the small fox snapped at her. "Hm... you're still angry."

"What do you mean?" Oboro asked, blinking. She gazed at Kiku, wondering why her friend had such an aversion to the kistune.

"I... cannot tell you why," Yuzuruha said with a deep sigh.

"You are acting like the dragon god," Oboro noted, hanging her head. "I don't mean to be rude like that, but why are you withholding my past from me if you know anything about it?" She asked, raising her head.

"Because your mind is fragile," the Kistune explained, twirling her umbrella. "The type of amnesia you suffer from is a very rare and painful one. It's often attributed to people who have no memory of their past, nor do they remember their name."

Oboro felt like lightning had struck her. _My mind is fragile?_ She then recalled the words of the cloaked man on Mount Fuji.

"_Your mind is like a delicate plate; at the point of breaking..._"

"That explains it," Oboro said out-loud with a sigh; her shoulders sagged. "No wonder my head hurts whenever I try to remember a piece of my past. Or I see a vision."

She felt a hand pat her head and looked up to see Yuzuruha smiling at her. "Come, you need food and rest," she said. Out of her kimono, the kitsune took out a knapsack that seemed to be brim with food and drink.

"Kneel down and relax, Oboro," the kitsune said softly. Her smile was a kind, generous one that relaxed Oboro's body and spirit. She returned the smile to Yuzuruha. The kitsune opened her knapsack, and spread out various food to eat—peaches, rice balls, roasted fish made from trout, and more. "Eat," she said.

Oboro obeyed without thinking. Despite how hungry she was, her instincts told her it would be improper just to snatch up the food and gobble it down. Instead, in a lady-like manner, she reached out and took a skewered fish into her hand. She ate delicately and slowly, savoring every bite. The taste was a welcome sensation to her mouth, and she let out a deep sigh of pleasure.

When she finished, Oboro looked up at Yuzuruha with curiosity. "Do you mind if I...?"

The kitsune shook her head. "Not at all. Go ahead, it's all for you. When you're full, just take the rest. I noticed how light your knapsack was, so I assumed you needed more supplies."

Oboro had taken a bite from a peach. She chewed and then swallowed before asking, "how did you know?"

"I brought you here," she explained. "I found you unconscious on the ground several meters from the shrine here. Your friend... Kiku was rapidly licking your face." She giggled. "It was an adorable sight."

Kiku, however, growled at Yuzuruha again.

"She... does not like you at all," Oboro noted, taking a sip of sake.

"Yes, she doesn't," Yuzuruha said with a deep sigh. She sat down on the stony ground, and looked at Oboro. "No matter, I am here to help you remember your past, step-by-step, line upon line, and so forth."

She took another bite from her peach. After swallowing she asked, "well, how are we going to do so?" Oboro frowned. "I don't appreciate my past being kept from me."

"I figured as much," Yuzuruha said with a nod. She cocked her head to one side at her. "Well, you said that you feel pain in your head whenever you have a memory or a vision of your past, correct?"

"Yes," Oboro said with a sigh. She looked away from the kitsune and groaned. She saw Kiku looking at her with sadness in her eyes. "You told me my mind is fragile... yet the visions I see are short and lack detail." She looked at Yuzuruha, biting her lip. "What do we do?"

The kitsune smiled at her. "We talk about your past visions, Oboro," she said gently. "If you try to recall them now, I imagine your mind will not be damaged."

"So, you mean I won't feel any pain?" Oboro asked, blinking. Yuzuruha nodded. "Well, I do not recall anything about the vision I had in Totomi, but I do remember a little from one in Mount Fuji." Oboro explained what she could remember seeing to the kitsune.

"A flaming mountain..." Yuzuruha muttered with a grave expression. "Did you see anyone there in that vision?"

"No..." Oboro said. But then, her head shot up and her eyes widened. "Wait! No, I remember now! I saw myself, wearing a little armor with a broken sword in hand. I looked like I was about to die, and there was boy next to me. He appeared to be dead."

Yuzuruha smiled slightly. "There, you remembered something you forgot," she said. Oboro nodded at her. "Now then, I can tell you what happened there. You and that boy fought to the death on that summit about seven months ago. Fortunately, neither of you actually died."

"What?" Oboro exclaimed in shock. "Why would I want to kill someone like that? I mean, I defend myself against assassins, but why would I try to fight another to the dea—ow!" She grasped her forehead. "I understand... you can't tell why because... it'll break my mind."

"Yes, but you now know a bit about your past," Yuzuruha said with a calm voice. "So, as we travel through Japan, day by day, whenever you have a vision, let it sit in your mind until it does not hurt to recall the memory and then tell everything about it to me." The kitsune smiled again at Oboro. "I'll give you more information about your past. Now, are you sure you forgot what happened in Totomi?"

Oboro nodded sadly. "My mind was in so much pain that I lost my memory of that vision," she explained, picking at her kimono. "Tell me, why does knowing that I fought someone on that mountain help me?"

"Every piece of your past counts," the kitsune said with a raised finger. "Once all the pieces have been gathered, you will be able to reconstruct your memories and your mind will be at peace once more."

"All right, I understand," Oboro said. "Thank you, Yuzuruha. What follows? Do we head to another province? Or shall we talk more?"

"Both," she answered, standing up. "But first, we should go to a hot spring in the mountains to rest; it will help your mind, spirit, and body relax." She twirled her umbrella again. "I will wait until you are ready, Oboro."

She gathered up all the food and drink on the ground, and then placed it in her knapsack. Oboro lifted it, feeling it pull on her muscles. However, she was still able to carry it without difficulty over her shoulder. She took her Muramasa in hand, and straightened herself.

"Very well," Oboro said, smiling. "Lead the way."

-S-

It took them a couple of miles to reach the location of the hot springs. Yuzuruha led Oboro and Kiku up a small mountain where the water was. The path on the way up was a thin ramp covered in dusty rocks. Oboro caught some of the dust into her nose and sneezed. Kiku rubbed Oboro's legs as her friend walked up the ramp.

It wasn't long after that Oboro's nose was cleared of the dust and filled with aroma of hot steam. She looked ahead and saw a large waterfall pouring into a steaming pool of water. Oboro could already feel her muscles relaxing.

"Here we are," Yuzuruha said. "Come, disrobe and immerse yourself, Oboro." The kitsune began to remove her own clothing as well.

_I suppose she's going to join me,_ Oboro thought as she put down her Muramasa and her knapsack at the edge of the hot spring. She removed her kimono and stepped into the warm water. She let out a sigh of relief as her skin touched the water.

"Oh," she moaned. "This is wonderful."

Yuzuruha was ahead of her, and she smiled at Oboro. "Good. Is your mind feeling any better?" she asked, sitting down on a rock.

"Yes, it is—" Oboro stopped mid-sentence as her head began to throb. Her body swayed in the water and her vision went blurry.

Soon, the blurry images began clear, and she found herself in the hot springs again, except that Yuzuruha wasn't there. Instead, she saw a boy with black hair in front of her. _That's the dead boy from my vision on Mount Fuji! Did we meet before?_

_ "How rude of you to be here while I'm naked!" _Oboro's voice echoed as she spoke to the boy.

_"What's your problem? I was here first, and besides, this isn't your personal hot spring."_

Oboro felt herself frown. This vision was odd compared to the others because she could not see herself, instead it was as if she was in the vision itself.

The image washed away, and she found herself at the edge of the hot spring, staring at green wisp-like being.

_"Stop whining about people seeing you naked!"_ he lectured; his voice was so familiar. _"There's nothing to see! A blade would easily cut you in half!"_

The pain in her head was growing too strong, and she fell into the water. She wasn't sure if she screamed or not, but the pain was excruciating. Then, she felt a pair of hands on her scalp, and the pain was slowly subdued.

Oboro found herself staring up at Yuzuruha. She felt something lick her arm and she glanced over to see Kiku swimming in the water next to her.

"You had another vision of your past, didn't you?" the kitsune asked, grabbing Oboro's attention. She nodded. "I see."

"It was—" Oboro started, but Yuzuruha raised her hand to Oboro's lips and shook her head.

"No, don't tell me yet," she said. "Think about something else for now. The pain will go away completely and then you can tell me about it."

"Very well," Oboro said, rubbing her forehead. She realized she was completely wet, her hair, face, and body. "What happened to me?"

"You suddenly fell into the water, and let out a scream of pain," the kitsune explained. "I placed my hands on your head and used some of my Fox Spirit powers to dull the pain, and stabilize your mind. Then, I pulled you out of the water."

Oboro sighed. She hadn't felt any of that, save the pain, falling into the water, and Yuzuruha's hands. She looked at the kitsune and saw worry on her face. "I'm sorry," Oboro said. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Yuzuruha smiled and shook her head. "It's completely all right," she said with a soothing voice. "Here." She snapped her fingers and a towel appeared in her hand. Oboro was surprised, what magic was this? "Take this and dry your head when you are ready to leave."

She handed Oboro the towel. Oboro wondered where it came from, but decided not to ask. "Is... this always going to happen when I remember something?" she asked with a timid voice.

"You mean losing control of yourself?" Yuzuruha asked. Oboro nodded again, anxiously this time. "No. As your memory comes together, you'll start to remember things without passing out or screaming—unless you remember too much for your mind to handle."

Oboro nodded. "I see," she said. "I'll have to be careful around people who know me then." She looked back at Kiku, who was also looking worried. Oboro pet the fox's head. "It'll be all right, Kiku." Though, she doubted her own words.

"For now, just relax," Yuzuruha said.

Oboro nodded again and let out a sigh as she washed herself in the hot springs and then allowed herself to float in the water. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of the steamy scent in the air; it was very relaxing.

After about an hour of relaxing, Oboro felt well enough to return to her journey. She told Yuzuruha that she was ready, and dried herself off before putting her kimono on.

The kitsune also redressed and took up her umbrella. Kiku followed behind, though she still seemed apprehensive of Yuzuruha. Oboro kept wondering why.

Oboro picked up her grandpa's blade, and her knapsack. "Thank you," she said to Yuzuruha. "Thank you for saving me earlier. I hope I'll be able to recall my past without pain soon."

"You're welcome, Oboro," Yuzuruha said with a smile. "I also hope so, too."

"Where do you want me to go next?"

"We're going to travel to the Kai province, west of here," she explained. "At the shrine there, I want you to meet an old friend of mine."

Oboro blinked. "So, you're coming with me?" she asked curiously.

The kitsune nodded. "Of course, I am," she said with a chuckle. "I am your guide, remember?"

Oboro smiled at her. "Yes, that's right," she said. "All right, let us leave then."

-S-

Kai was different than Musashi; it was a vast wasteland, save groups of weeds along the road. The trees seemed to be dead and a very thick fog nearly clouded the road. However, as they made their way deeper into the province, the fog slowly dissipated.

Oboro could see the sun beginning to set, and she was enjoying the cool breeze as she and Yuzuruha walked down the dusty path.

"Where is Kai's shrine?" Oboro asked the kitsune, stopping in her tracks. Yuzuruha also stopped wrinkling her nose—most likely at the scenery.

"Just west of here," Yuzuruha said. She walked over to Oboro and pushed her forward. "Come, don't lose pace. ... are you afraid?"

"No, I..." Oboro paused. "Well, I am a little scared," she said, biting her lip. "I keep thinking about my mind, and I worry that if I continue, I might accidentally break it."

"Don't be afraid to go on, Oboro," Yuzuruha said with a generous smile. She pat her on the shoulder. "While we don't know what will happen, have faith that everything will turn out for the best."

Oboro nodded and smiled back at the kitsune. "Yes, you're right," she said.

They continued along the road toward the shrine. Oboro was deep in thought when she heard a man yell for help. Her head shot up and she ran ahead; if Yuzuruha had said anything, Oboro had not heard her.

She found herself on the edge of a cliff. There, she saw an elderly man surrounded by four tengus. The bird-like creatures were hooting and laughing at the shaking man. Oboro drew her Muramasa and dropped onto the ground below.

"Stop!" she ordered.

The tengus turned their attention to her, and their expressions faded into anger. They began to whisper among themselves. Oboro managed to catch a few words: "Human... killed before... hundreds..."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Oboro said, brandishing her blade. "But let the poor man go. Otherwise, I will be forced to end your lives."

The tengus laughed. "You may have killed many of our brethren before, girl, but we'll rip you apart this time!" He let out a roar. "She wants a fight, let us give her one!"

They swooped up into the air, flying high above Oboro's head. One of them dove at her, launching bolts of fire from his mouth onto the ground.

Oboro raised her blade in time to deflect the flames and as the tengu came in range, she swiftly spun around and slashed his face. The tengu growled and tried to swipe her with the sharp feathers of his wing. Oboro rolled out of the way, and made a clean cut in the tengu's wing.

Then, she felt something slice her back, forcing her onto the ground. She let out a scream of pain as she landed. Turning around, Oboro saw another tengu, his feathers dripping with her blood.

Oboro jumped to her feet, and brought her blade up again in defense as fire rained from the sky from the third tengu. The fire rebounded off the sword repeatedly, putting pressure on it. Oboro noticed the Muramasa's blade was beginning to crack. _What? I thought Muramasas didn't break!_

The fourth tengu dive bombed her and slammed into her blade, she let a cry of pain as the blade snapped in two. Oboro slammed into the cliff-face behind her, and gasped. She tasted her own blood and then fell face first into the ground.

She heard the tengus laughing. "Looks like you've gotten quite rusty, girl," one of them said.

Oboro pushed herself and looked to see the tengus surrounding her.

"So, how would you like to die, girl?" another asked with malice. "Perhaps being sliced apart will be appropriate." They raised their wings to finish her.

Oboro snatched the sharp end of her Muramasa and threw it into the face of the wounded tengu. The blade made its mark, and he let out a cry of pain. It surprised the others, but even so they outnumbered her.

_Am I... doomed?_ She thought with horror.

Then, she heard Yuzuruha's voice. "Oboro! Take this!" There was the sound of something flipping in the air, and then a sheathed blade landed next to her. Oboro knew immediately from its shape that it was another Muramasa.

Not bothering to question how a kitsune had a Muramasa, Oboro grabbed it and unsheathed the blade. She spun around and stabbed the second tengu in the stomach with such force that the creature fell over dead. Oboro pulled the new blade out of the tengu and faced the others.

A giant column of flames from the sky appeared, frying one of them; the other two managed to avoid the blast and escaped into the air.

"Damn it!" the wounded one cursed. "She's got a kitsune with her."

"Let's make haste," the other said. "I don't want to fool around with a white fox." The two tengus flew off into the distance leaving a bleeding Oboro, a healthy Yuzuruha, and a relieved man behind.

Despite her own wounds, Oboro crawled over to the man. "Are you all right?" she asked him, wiping the blood from her mouth.

The old man smiled at her. "Yes, thank you. You are a very brave girl," he remarked. "But... you are in much worse shape than I am. Why...?"

"Because I wanted to make sure you were safe first," Oboro said, smiling. Then, she felt a pair of hands touch her head.

At that very moment, Oboro felt her wounds close and the pain vanish. "Thank you, Yuzuruha," Oboro said to her. She stood up and helped the old man to his feet; his white beard made her think of grandpa.

"Young lady," the old man said. "Why is it that you have a kitsune with you?"

"Oh! Um..." Oboro paused and bit her lip. "She's guiding me around Japan because... I lost my memory," she said, deciding to be honest.

"Oh, you poor thing," the old man said. "But still, you fought well. I hope you remain safe. Farewell," he added, turning around and walking down a different road.

"You be careful as well!" Oboro called out, waving at him. She smiled, and felt Yuzuruha place her hand on Oboro's shoulder.

"Very good," the kitsune said. "That Muramasa there I gave you is a little more powerful than the one you originally had."

Oboro nodded. She knelt down, looking at the two pieces of her grandpa's blade. "How did it break? I thought Muramasas were indestructible."

"No, they are not," Yuzuruha said. Oboro looked at her. "However, that blade will repair itself over time if you sheathe it. Muramasas are known to break, but also to regenerate. That is probably where you were confused, Oboro."

"I see," she said, looking back at the broken Muramasa. Already, the two pieces were moving toward each other. "Well, I'm not leaving this blade behind—it is grandpa's blade after all." She picked up the two pieces and placed them in their respective sheath. She placed the blade her knapsack, and then put the new Muramasa back into its own sheath.

"Well, I hope my grandpa's blade repairs itself soon," Oboro said, half musing to herself, and half-talking to the kitsune. "Um... I suppose we continue." She looked at the fried body of one of the tengus and the other that she had killed off.

"You do not like to kill, do you?"

Oboro shook her head.

"That's all right. Continue to feel things like remorse for your enemies; it will keep you human."

Oboro looked at Yuzuruha and smiled. "Thank you."


	3. Act 3: A Familiar Face

Act 3: A Familiar Face

On their way to the Kai shrine, Oboro and Yuzuruha ran into an elderly lady in a small home. Oboro was surprised that a couple were living in this wasteland. Before approaching her, Yuzuruha transformed herself to appear as a normal white fox. The old lady blinked in surprise at Oboro.

"A girl carrying a sword? My, my," she had said, shaking her head. "And your lovely kimono is all ripped up, not to mention to blood stains. Are you a violent girl, m'dear?"

Oboro shook her head. "No, I only carry these weapons for self-defense," she said.

"Oh, I see," the elderly lady said. "You are a pretty girl, would you mind if I fixed your hair, and cleaned and fixed your kimono?"

Oboro shot at glance at Yuzuruha. The fox shrugged. "I wouldn't mind at all," Oboro said, smiling at the elderly lady.

"Come let's get you inside," she said.

"Um... can the foxes come with?" Oboro asked, licking her lips. "They're good friends of mine and I don't want to lose them."

The elderly lady worked her face and then said, "all right, just make sure they don't shed." Oboro nodded and entered her little home.

-S-

It took a few hours, but after some work, Oboro's hair was set in place, and she felt clean wearing her fresh kimono. She noticed Kiku was keeping a distance from Yuzuruha with a disgusted look on her face.

Thanking the elderly lady, Oboro continued westward to the shrine. Once they were out of the house's earshot, Yuzuruha transformed back into her humanoid self, opening her umbrella and looking rather amused.

"That won't last long," she said, half-teasing, half-warning. "You know your kimono will be damaged again sometime soon, correct?"

"Yes," Oboro said, rolling her eyes. "But it was nice of her, and she didn't charge me, so I believe it's all right." She stopped and scratched Kiku's furry head. "You've been a good girl, haven't you, Kiku?"

The fox licked Oboro's hand, and kept close to her legs. She smiled at the little fox and then looked for Yuzuruha. She saw the kitsune walking ahead of her on the road. Oboro ran to catch up.

"Sorry," she said.

"About what?" Yuzuruha asked.

Oboro glanced left and right, and then shrugged. "Nothing, I suppose," she said, feeling embarrassed. "So, who is this friend of yours that I'm going to meet?"

"You'll see." Yuzuruha twirled her umbrella.

-S-

Twilight was crawling over the horizon when Oboro arrived at the shrine with Yuzuruha. She was surprised to see a campfire already made in the middle of a clearing filled with soft grass. She noticed a boy with black hair and cyan scarf. His eyes were shadowed as if he desperately needed sleep. Upon her approach, he looked at her swiftly; she realized he was quite alert.

"Oh, hello," Oboro said. "I—" _Wait a minute!_ she thought, alarmed. "Aren't... aren't you supposed to be dead?"

The boy stared at her like she had gone insane. "No, why should I?"

"Because I thought you and I fought each other to the death on a flaming mountain. You were... dead in my vision," she said slowing down. His expression didn't change. He looked at Yuzuruha.

"Is this... the girl?" he asked the kitsune, pausing as if to skip her name. Did he know something?

"Yes, she is," Yuzuruha said. She sat down at the campfire and beckoned Oboro to follow suit.

"No, wait!" she exclaimed. "I need to know! How did you survive?" she asked the boy. She saw the kitsune shake her head at her in warning. Oboro ignored it. "And why did we fight to the death on that mountain?"

"On Mount Kongo?" the boy said. He snorted. "I can't tell you why, but I'll at least tell you my name. It's Kisuke."

Lightning struck Oboro's mind as she heard his name, and voices from the past echoed in her head.

_"If you do not turn back, you will have to face Kisuke, master of the Muramasa and the Oboro Style."_

_ "Damn! I lost to a girl? Well, if I'm going to die, I'll take her down with me!"_

_ "Oh no! What do I do? Be strong...! Please don't die!"_

_ "My life is over, Momohime. This wound is far too deep to be healed. Hm... interesting... with the last of my strength, I will save your soul and body. Just... remember... my..."_

Her vision blurred and she barely felt the ground crash into her head. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

-S-

"She passed out because I told her my name..." Kisuke said, kneeling over the unconscious 'Oboro.' "Her mind _really _is fragile like you said it would be, Yuzuruha."

The kitsune nodded with a sad face, she moved over to Oboro and knelt down, she placed the girl's head on her knees. "Indeed. Do not worry though, Kisuke," she said with a comforting voice. "Her mind wasn't close to breaking, she just heard barely enough information to pass out. She's fine. In fact, this will be good for her mind."

Kisuke went to the campfire and sat down. "What do you mean?" he asked, picking up a stone, and glancing at her.

"When she passes out, it means her mind has 'shut down,' in order to prevent any damage," the kitsune explained. "Just be sure to use your best judgment when giving her information. It's best to error on the side of giving her the least amount."

He nodded and tossed the stone from hand to hand, his gaze not moving from Yuzuruha. "Why doesn't her mind do that every time she gets too many memories of her past?" he asked.

"Because—"

"Jinkuro..." Oboro muttered in her sleep.

Kisuke dropped the stone. _What? Jinkuro?_ "Did she just mention...?" he asked. Yuzuruha nodded. "Why?"

The kitsune smirked at him. "You know why. I told you," she said.

Kisuke sighed. "That's right. I still don't understand why any woman would want him, though," he said, picking up the stone again.

He looked a little fox that had followed them. It was keeping a good distance from Yuzuruha and had a sour expression on its face. At least, Kisuke thought it did. How would a normal fox have expressions like that?

"Kongiku?" Yuzuruha said to the fox. It began to growl at her. "Now, now..."

"Wait... _Kongiku?_" Kisuke dropped the stone again. "That's the kitsune you—"

She nodded at him, and then turned back to Kongiku. "Don't growl at me. I'm very pleased with you. In fact, I feel a little guilty for cursing you now," she said with a solemn expression. Kongiku stopped growling and looked at her fellow kitsune with curiosity. "Because you have been so kind and so loyal to Oboro, I will restore you... in time. I see your kindness as penance for stealing the Muramasa Mask."

The fox began to wag her tag happily. Yuzuruha smiled at her. "Though, not yet. I don't want you to scare Oboro if you start talking. You're still 'Kiku' to her."

Then, Kongiku nodded at the kitsune. Kisuke couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"She's really not a normal fox if she can understand all that," he said.

Yuzuruha chuckled. "You're right, I actually left some of her ability to understand because I was gambling on the hope that she would follow Oboro," she explained.

"And you gambled right," Kisuke said with a grin. "You were always the wise one."

"Oboro... Jinkuro..." the girl muttered again. Kisuke noticed she was tossing and turning in her sleep; not fast, fitful motions, but slow, painful motions. It was as if her dreams were torturing her physically.

_Jinkuro..._ he wondered again. _Why? He hated her. He used her body for horrible things! Yet... she seems to desire him. _Kisuke continued to watch Oboro as she slept.

-S-

"Jinkuro!" Oboro cried out. "Jinkuro! Where are you?" She was walking on darkness again. In fact, this time, it was black water she walked across.

But that didn't matter, Oboro had a feeling she would find something this time. Find what? Jinkuro? But who was he? Oboro grasped her head as it ached, and yet, her heart was yearning for this man...? Was he a man? She could not remember.

The floor dried, and some dim light appeared. Oboro found herself on a road; there were several bamboo trees around her. She had the strangest urge to follow the road.

She did so, and eventually came to a large set of stairs. Climbing the stairs, she found herself standing before a great castle. _That building! I know it! I've seen it before... maybe I've even been inside. ... but how? I'm just a village girl... aren't I?_

Oboro continued up the steps and met a pair of guards at the door. They smiled at her. "Princess Momohime!" one said. "Welcome home!"

_That name again!_ Oboro thought. Then, everything twisted into darkness and chains shot out from all sides, binding her. "Not again!" she exclaimed. "Set me free at once!"

The shadowed figure appeared, and Oboro could sense a wicked grin behind his cloak of darkness. "I told you," he said with a dark voice. "You've chosen to bind yourself to him. Therefore, I cannot free you. Instead, you will die." He turned around and laughed a cold, sinister laugh.

"Come back here!" Oboro shouted. "I don't understand you! Who is 'him?' And why do you keep allowing me to be bound by chains! Tell me!"

The shadowed figure said nothing. Instead, he continued to laugh and left Oboro alone in the darkness.

"Help me!" she screamed. "Help me!"

-S-

"Jinkuro!" Oboro shouted as she shot upright. She was covered in cold sweat, and her throat was dry. She looked up to see Yuzuruha looking down on her with a gentle, comforting smile. Oboro glanced toward the campfire to see a very startled Kisuke. She felt Kiku licking her hand, and she scratched behind the fox's ears.

"I... I'm sorry," she said, rubbing her head even though it didn't hurt. "I didn't mean to..."

"Sorry?" Yuzuruha giggled. "Sorry about what? Scaring Kisuke? Don't worry, Oboro, he'll get over it."

Kisuke exhaled. "Yes, I will. That was just... the first time I saw you awake from a dream," he said, appearing to relax a little.

"Nightmare, really," Oboro said with a frown. "I have nightmares every time I sleep. They are... so disturbing." She shivered as if she were still on Mount Fuji.

"Would you like to share?" Yuzuruha asked. "You only passed out, so it shouldn't be dangerous."

"Yes," Oboro said, feeling relieved. She rarely shared her dreams with anyone and they were such a burden to her. She explained what happened; the black water, the road with the river, and then the castle. "... I felt like I had been there before—inside even—and the guards... they greeted me as 'princess Momohime,'" she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.

"Interesting," Yuzuruha said. Her voice betrayed her; Oboro could tell that the kitsune knew something about her dream.

She decided not to push it. "That castle... I bet if I went to it and got inside, I could find out a lot more about my past. And... if I'm truly princess Momohime," she said, feeling a little dazed.

"I think that is unwise," the kitsune said. "That castle... was Narukami Castle. And yes, it is important to you, Oboro, but... you need to condition your mind first. If you go in there—"

"Then my mind will break down?" Oboro finished for her. "Yes, I understand. I... don't want to go insane. But..."

"We should try," Kisuke interjected.

Oboro looked at him in surprise.

"No risk, no reward," he said, tossing a stone from hand to hand, yet not leaving his gaze from the two girls. "Something I was taught by my masters a long time ago."

Oboro heard Yuzuruha sigh in defeat. "I suppose so. Narukami Castle is in the Mino province, which is a fair distance away. We can travel there... through the Shinano province," she said. "I really think... that this is a bad idea, but if you're both so determined..." Oboro nodded at her. "... then I cannot stop you. Regardless, I will come with you."

"Can Kiku come?" Oboro asked, looking at her little fox friend. She noticed that she was sitting close to Yuzuruha, and had stopped growling.

"Of course," Yuzuruha said, smiling. "She's your loyal friend after all. But she cannot go into the castle. You'd have to go alone, Oboro. Well... Kisuke could escort you to the door."

"Very well," Oboro said; she smiled at the kitsune. "Thank you for allowing me to go there."

"This is your journey, Oboro," she said softly. "Not mine. You are the leader. I'm only here to advise you."

"Why is Kiku not growling at you anymore, Yuzuruha?" Oboro asked. She looked at the fox again, who seemed quite happy. "She seems... relaxed."

"Don't worry about it right now, you should probably get some real sleep," she said, pointing to the sky. Stars had filled the night and it was obviously late.

"But... I don't feel very tired," Oboro said.

"Speak for yourself," Kisuke said with a yawn. "I need to sleep." He took out a sheathed sword and laid it across his legs.

"Wait!" Oboro exclaimed. "That's a Muramasa! How did you...? How have you not lost yourself to bloodlust?"

"Oh, well, " Kisuke smiled. "I am a master of the Oboro Style. Anyone who knows that style is immune to the effects of a Muramasa. I noticed you have one, too," he added, pointing at her sword.

"Yes, I actually have two," Oboro said. She pointed to her knapsack on the ground. "My grandpa's blade turned out to be a Muramasa, and I took it with me."

"How did you figure out it was a Muramasa?" Kisuke asked with a raised brow.

"The day I left my grandparents, I used this blade to kill a large demon and a couple of smaller ones," she explained. "I had heard of Muramasas before and, even though it felt natural to me to use the blade, only a sword like a Muramasa blade would have that strength."

"You're right," Kisuke said, nodding at her. "It is a Muramasa blade. How did you get the other one?"

"The one here...?" Oboro asked, raising the other blade. He nodded at her. "Well... Yuzuruha gave it to me when I was in the middle of combat with some tengus."

"You must fight well," Kisuke said.

"Well," she said, biting her lip. "Actually, I've only killed ninjas with ease. The tengus nearly killed me. If it weren't for Yuzuruha..."

"I see," Kisuke said, nodding. "Why didn't you use any Secret Arts on them? I assume you know the Oboro Style as well, otherwise, _you_ would be insane with bloodlust."

"Secret Arts?" Oboro asked. She blinked. "What are those? I don't think I've ever—" She stopped, blinking again. "Wait... if we fought to the death at Mount Kongo... and you're a master, then... I must have known how."

"Correct," Kisuke said. "I'm surprised you forgot how to use them."

"Can you teach me how to use them?" Oboro asked with an eager voice. "I... want to know how. I want to remember how."

"Sure," Kisuke said, yawning. He put down the stone and laid back. "But... I'll teach you tomorrow. I need sleep."

"All right," Oboro said, nodding. "I don't feel tired, though," she repeated.

"You should try to get some sleep anyway," Yuzuruha told her, running her hands through Oboro's hair. "Tomorrow, I want you to tell me what you saw at the hot springs. All right?"

"Very well," Oboro said, smiling at her. She glanced over to Kisuke, but he was already asleep. "Well, good night then, Yuzuruha."

"Sleep well, child," she said soothingly. "Kiku and I will watch over you and Kisuke."

Oboro nodded and laid down on the grass. It was much more comfortable than when she had passed out. Even though she thought she had not been tired, she soon fell into a deep sleep.

-S-

_The next day..._

"...and that's how you unleash a Secret Art," Kisuke said to Oboro as they were traveling toward Kai. "Try it for yourself."

Oboro focused on the blade that Yuzuruha had given her. She 'reached' out with her soul to touch the Muramasa's own. A voice echoed in her head, and she heard the words. Her eyes opened and light flashed around her.

The blade did not guide her, but it was if her body already knew what to do. Oboro jumped three times into the air, sending column after column after column of purple energy into the sky. Then, she stopped and it was over.

Yuzuruha clapped.

"Hmm... Moonlight," Kisuke commented. "Good, you unleashed a Secret Art, Oboro." He raised a warning finger. "Remember, every time you use a Secret Art, the blade grows weaker, and will make it easier to break."

Oboro nodded, still holding Yuzuruha's blade in her hand. "What's next?" she asked.

Kisuke grinned. "Now, you have to teach yourself the other Secret Arts," he said, carrying his Muramasa—sheathed—over his shoulder.

"Huh?" Oboro blinked. "How?" she asked.

"Once you know how to learn one Secret Art, you can teach yourself any of the other arts that are within Muramasas," he explained.

Oboro nodded with a smile. "But... how do I carry all these blades?" she asked. "You mention something about being able to swap from one blade to another quickly and use an attack when you draw a different blade."

"Ah, yes," Kisuke said, sounding thoughtful. "You probably forgot about that, too." He caught Oboro's eye. "Ask Yuzuruha."

She turned around to the kitsune. "Can you help me?"

"Of course," she said with a generous smile. She removed an object from her kimono; a strange-looking belt. "Put this around your waist, Oboro."

She did as she was told, and then looked to Yuzuruha for further instructions. The kitsune nodded approvingly. "Now, take out your grandfather's blade and put the blade in its sheath into the belt."

Oboro again obeyed. Curious, she unsheathed the Muramasa. Oboro was surprised to see her grandpa's blade was in such good condition when she took it out of her knapsack. Yes, she knew the blade could repair itself, but she had not expected it to look like it had just come out of a forge.

"Oboro?" Yuzuruha said.

"Huh?" She blinked, looking away from her grandpa's blade. "Oh, sorry." She sheathed the blade and then placed it in the belt. It was an odd belt; it was shaped like an upside dome, and had only one belt to hold a single blade.

"All right," Kisuke said from behind her. "Now you can carry two Muramasas. If you ever need to switch to your other Muramasa now you are capable of doing so. Place the other Muramasa in the belt, and you'll be able to swap to another if one breaks. Don't worry," he added, probably seeing Oboro's concerned expression. "The belt is strong enough to hold two of them."

Oboro nodded at him, and put Yuzuruha's Muramasa in the belt. Both blades hung in the belt, not putting any extra pressure on her.

"Why are the blades so light?" she asked, rubbing the sheath of her grandpa's blade.

"That belt is magical," Yuzuruha said, twirling her umbrella. "It forces your blades to weigh lighter than they are."

"Oh, all right," Oboro said. She turned toward the edge of the Kai Province. "There's so much fog, I can't see." She waved the air before her.

"Kai is a wasteland," Yuzuruha said, walking up to Oboro. She looked at her. "You know that, but soon, we'll be in Shinano. The fog will clear up by there, however, we need to be careful, there still might be assassins waiting for you."

"Indeed," Kisuke said. "We best be on our guard."

"Right," Oboro said. She stepped forward and into the fog. The fog was dense, and she could hardly see where she was going. All she could rely on was the road beneath her feet.

Soon, the clouds cleared and Oboro found herself staring at plains—fields filled with rice stalk on either side on her. The ground was hard and lacked grass much like Kai. However, the soil was most likely more fertile.

"This is a pleasant place," Oboro remarked as Yuzuruha, Kiku, and Kisuke appeared from the fog.

"Don't expect everything to be pleasant," the kitsune said warningly.

Oboro nodded and continued to follow the dirt path through Shinano. Although, it seemed to be brimming with life, she could not see a single person anywhere.

"Where is everyone?" Oboro asked as they passed an old broken down shack.

"Probably in hiding," Kisuke said.

"What? Why?"

"Monsters," Kisuke said with a flat voice. "No one wants to be killed or eaten by an oni."

Oboro nodded solemnly, and said nothing else.

She (with the others following) crossed into a valley with thick rocks on either side of her. They looked too steep to climb, so she had no choice but follow the twisting dirt path. A large cliff scaled above them.

"Hey, boys!" cried out a male voice. "Look what I found!"

Oboro shot her head up to see a black ninja above. _More of them? Ugh!_ She thought. Oboro unsheathed one of her Muramasas without hesitation. She heard a blade being drawn behind her—probably Kisuke—and then stared up intensely at the assassin.

Then, she saw two other ninjas. One was sitting on the cliff above her and the other was balancing himself on a lithe tree branch a distance from her.

"Let's release the onis!" the ninja above her cried. "They should be able to take care of her!"

_Onis? Demons?_ Then, she noticed the cage before them, almost overflowing with little onis wielding clubs and sickles.

The ninja lifted a chain, and the cage opened. "Have fun, princess! We'll come back to collect your body later!" he laughed. His companions shared his laughter and vanished in puffs of smoke.

The onis came clamoring out of the cage by the hundreds, licking their fangs. "She looks tasty!" one remarked.

"Let's eat!" another said.

The little creatures charged. Oboro readied her Muramasa and then focused on its soul. "Yah!" she cried, unleashing a Secret Art. Apparently, she had her grandpa's blade drawn, for she did something else. Instead of Moonlight, she shifted to the other side of the onis, and slashed them repeatedly, yet on the other side, she saw an image of herself slice up the onis on that side.

"Ow!"

"She's strong!"

"That means she's _really_ tasty!"

She was about to unleash the Secret Art again when Kisuke jumped in front of her and charged the onis. With a flash of light, he dashed forward so quickly that he slashed through dozens, killing them all in a single blow.

Oboro joined Kisuke and spun around, severing several onis to pieces with her blade. The onis backed away from the two; surrounding Kisuke and her. One threw its sickle at Oboro. With celerity, she parried the attack with her blade. She felt its internal soul weaken from the blow.

Then, Oboro saw Kiku leap off the ground and bite one of the onis on the head. The little devil squealed and thrashed around to get free, but fortunately, Kiku threw it against the rocky cliff wall, smashing its head.

Oboro felt a hostile presence behind her back and she twirled her blade around and slammed its point into an unsuspecting oni. It let out a whine of pain, crying like a young child. Oboro glanced back to see its club coming fast at her.

She reacted fast; and blocked the club as she did with the sickle. The wounded oni backed away from her, but Oboro wasn't about to let it get away. She jumped over the other little onis and impaled their retreating friend through its large skull. Blood spurted out, and its life was extinguished.

The little devils were decreasing by the dozens as Oboro and Kisuke repeatedly cut them down, either with a Secret Art, or the blade itself. Soon, the hundreds of onis had been reduced to a mere twenty.

"Back away, and I'll let you live!" Oboro exclaimed, pointing her Muramasa at the creatures. Kisuke was flanking them on the other side. "You won't be eating today."

The onis gathered in a circle and looked from Oboro to Kisuke with fear in their eyes. Scores of dead devils laid on the ground, and several had been smashed against the cliff.

"All right, you win!" one squeaked.

"Just let us go!"

"I'm not hungry anyway!"

"Leave then," Oboro commanded. She slowly advanced on them. "Or I _will_ destroy all of you."

The onis, in terror, scattered and climbed up the mountain sides. Oboro waited until they were gone before sheathing her grandpa's blade.

"Well done," Kisuke said, sheathing his blade. He grinned. "You're a lot more capable than I thought you would be. You fight as if you haven't forgotten a technique."

"It... it just feels natural," Oboro said, cleaning off her bloody Muramasa with a white cloth. "I... I don't know how else to describe my skill."

"Don't be ashamed," Yuzuruha said, putting a hand on Oboro's shoulder. "Your skill is something you should treasure, not shun." She smiled at her.

Oboro smiled back, and she felt Kiku rubbing against her legs. She knelt down and scratched behind the little fox's ears. "You fought well, my little girl," Oboro said to Kiku.

"That fox is quite faithful to you," Kisuke remarked. "I'm surprised she jumped into the fray and even killed one of the onis."

"She's protective of me," Obroro said, looking over at Kisuke. "She's attacked ninjas for me before, even." She smirked at Kisuke's impressed expression.

Yuzuruha smiled with approval. "Indeed, her loyalty to her will prove to be a great boon for herself in the future," she said.

"What do you mean?" Oboro asked curiously, letting Kiku lick her hand.

"You'll see," Yuzuruha said. "Come, let's hurry to the shrine here in Shinano, and then we can move onto the Mino Province and see what is taking place at Narukami Castle."

Oboro stood up and nodded. "Yes, let's do so."


	4. Act 4: Playing the Role

Act 4: Playing the Role

Oboro past through Shinano with her friends. The fields soon turned to lush grass, the sky was beginning to grow dark as they grew closer to Mino. Near the edge of the province, they re-met the assassins who had released the onis on them, and the two groups commenced combat.

"Blast, princess!" one of them cursed. "Just how strong are you?"

"Doesn't matter," the other said, pulling out a fuma shuriken. He began to spin it in his hand. "We'll kill her here and now."

The ninjas' threats proved to be in vain as Oboro and Kisuke cut through them with ease using their Muramasas. Every kill, however, made her stomach twist.

"What's wrong?" Kisuke asked.

"I hate killing other humans," she responded. "It isn't right."

"No one said you had to enjoy it," he said, turning to face Oboro. "But you need to do it when your life is threatened by someone else; especially by someone who is evil at heart."

She nodded, and then looked at him. "But what if the person is good? Even if it's in self-defense, then killing them would be wrong," she pointed out.

"Of course," Kisuke agreed. "I've noticed you spare others' lives because you didn't want to kill. And that's a good thing, Oboro. You'll be able to tell the bad from the good. You don't need to kill in order to defend yourself."

"I suppose you are right," she said. She heard Kiku let out a yelp, and Oboro looked at her. The little fox was looking at her with curiosity. Oboro stopped, knelt down and scratched behind Kiku's ears. She licked her hand in response. "Such a good girl..."

Oboro felt someone pat their hand on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Yuzuruha smiling at her. "You seem very fond of that fox," she said.

"I am," Oboro responded with her own smile. She picked up Kiku in her arm (carrying the knapsack in the other) and continued to walk. "And she's very fond of me. When I left my grandparents a month ago, she followed me and she has never left my side since."

"Strange..." Kisuke muttered. Oboro looked at him, blinking. "Eh, it's nothing," he said, rubbing his shoulder while looking away from her.

_How odd..._ Oboro thought. She shrugged and continued on with her friends. Then, she ran into large, overwhelming statues of the gods. They were so large that there was no way to climb over them.

A voice echoed in Oboro's mind. _"The gods will block your path; there will be no hope."_ That cloaked man again? "Oh no..." The mere thought of his words made her feel slight despair. "How do we get through?" She wondered if they would have to go around to reach Mino.

"Easy," Kisuke said, drawing a rather large Muramasa. "We cut them down."

"Won't that—?" Oboro started, but he was too fast to answer her question as he slashed apart the statues, breaking them down. To her surprise, the blade was in one piece. "How...? What...?" She boggled at Kisuke.

He smirked. "Heh, Muramasas have been known to cut through anything. Some say that even souls can be severed in half with a Muramasa," Kisuke said with a wicked grin on his face.

"Really?" Oboro asked, feeling stunned. _But... where was the 'no hope' part?_ She wondered. _Was the cloaked man wrong this time?_

"Oboro?"

She shook her head and looked over to see Yuzuruha looking at her with concern. "Is everything all right, child?" she asked with a soft voice, placing her hand gently on Oboro's shoulder. Oboro felt Kiku lick her chin.

"Y-yes, everything's fine," Oboro half-lied. Why did it bother her so much that the cloaked man was wrong this time? Or was he? She had felt no hope for a moment until Kisuke destroyed the statues.

They kept walking. This time, Yuzuruha took the lead as they entered the Mino province. The grassy road was soon surrounded by large bamboo trees. Oboro stopped.

"Those trees...! It was in my dream about Narukami Castle!" she exclaimed. "Did I dream about this place, too?" Oboro looked from Kisuke to Yuzuruha.

"Of course," Kisuke said, nodding. "Narukami Castle is _in_ Mino, so why not?"

Oboro smiled meekly. "That makes sense, I suppose." She sighed and placed Kiku on the ground. The moon was shining above and the stars had already gathered, it was a lovely sight.

Soon, they had left Shinano behind completely and were in depths of Mino. They passed by large Shinto arches, made to guide travelers. Oboro had never seen such, yet she was amazed by the sight of them. And yet...

"This is odd..." she said, stroking her cheek with a finger. "I feel as if I had been very angry in this place.

"A memory?" Kisuke asked as he walked across the grass—crunching underneath his feet.

"Yes, I think so..." she said. "Someone... betrayed me nearby? ... I was very angry."

Then she saw an image of herself, brandishing a Muramasa at an obese man. For some odd reason, she felt enraged at the man, but herself—who she was watching, seemed calm. Her head began to hurt slightly, and she felt her anger come out; she stopped walking. She slouched her shoulders and frowned. "Why me?" she complained. "Why does my amnesia have to be so deadly to my mental health? Why am I suffering this way? I just want my memory back! ... and to know who Jinkuro is."

"Come, keep pace," Yuzuruha said, her voice soft. Oboro looked at her to see an expression of peace on the kitsune's face. "This is your trial, Oboro, and you must bear it. But you don't bear it alone, the rest of us, who know many parts of your past, must stay our mouths. Otherwise, we would harm you."

Oboro started walking again, and she sighed. "I suppose you're right, Yuzuruha."

"Are you two going to keep dawdling back there?" Kisuke called from far down the road. "Or do you want me to go into Narukami Castle alone?"

Oboro frowned again. "How dare you!" she said. She raced up to him, gritting her teeth. "You... wait... what am I saying?" She scratched her head. "I'm... I'm sorry, Kisuke."

"It's not a problem," he said, stretching. "Are you coming, Yuzuruha?"

Oboro heard the kitsune giggle. "Yes, yes," she called to them. "I'll be behind you two. Besides, Kiku is with you, so you'll both be fine."

Oboro glanced at the road and saw the little white fox there. Kiku yelped at her, wagging her tail. She smiled and scratched the fox's ears.

"All right, let's go," she said. "Kisuke," she turned her head to him, "do you know the path to Narukami Castle? My dream... didn't show me the way."

"Yes, I do," he said with a nod. "It's beyond these arches." He pointed to the crimson arches that led deeper into the forest. "And then we'll keep on the path westward until we reach the main gate."

"Oh, good," Oboro said with a smile; she felt relieved because they weren't far.

"I will stop at the shrine," Yuzuruha said. She sounded a little closer than before. "And wait for you there. Kisuke, you best escort Oboro to the castle."

"That's what I was planning to do," he said. He beckoned to Oboro.

After passing the arches and parting ways with Yuzuruha, Oboro followed Kisuke down the road. For some odd reason, he was running, and thus, she ran also. _What's the hurry? Narukami Castle shouldn't be far, if he was correct._

But it seemed to be a fair ways down the road. After about five minutes of running, Oboro saw a great castle with cascading rooftops one top on of the other before them. It looked exactly like the castle in her dream. Kisuke's dash slowed into a walk, and Oboro slowed to his pace.

A familiar feeling passed through her; a feeling of comfort that she hadn't felt since she stayed with her grandparents. Was it possible that she lived near the castle once? They went up the castle's stairs, and were greeted by guards.

But not in the way she expected.

"Leave, peasants!" one of the guards ordered. "Or we'll throw you back on the road!"

"What's wrong?" Oboro asked, her voice soft and curious. "Is there a reason we cannot go inside? I... I need to get inside."

"Do you have an invitation?" the other guard asked. "I highly doubt it."

"An invitation to what?" Oboro asked, cocking her head to the side.

"The royal banquet," the guard said, snorting. "Go away, peasants. Your presence is not wanted here!"

"But I—!"

"Leave or I'll throw you out!"

Oboro bit her lip, she felt Kisuke tug at her kimono. "Come on, they aren't going to let us in like this, maybe Yuzuruha will have an idea," he whispered.

She frowned. "But I _need_ to get inside!" she whispered back.

"Don't worry, you will," Kisuke said, pulling on her kimono sleeve. "Just come to the shrine with me, and I'm sure everything will be fine." He turned and went down the stairs.

She turned away from the castle, giving it one last longing glance and then followed him to the shrine.

-S-

"What?" Oboro said when Yuzuruha unveiled her plan.

"That's right," she said. "We're going to have you pose as Momohime since you look so much like her," she added with a cough.

"Why did you cough just now?" Oboro asked.

"Oh, it's nothing. Anyway, you'll need a slight change in attire." She took out a peach-colored kimono of which the sleeves changed to yellow at the ends. It, and its teal sash, had beautiful flowers printed on it. With it, came a pair of purple stockings, coupled with black socks. "Your normal zori sandals should suffice, Oboro.

"You best go change, I will have some accessories for you in a bit," Yuruzuha continued. "Oh, and don't worry, Kisuke won't peep on you," she added with a mischievous giggle. Oboro looked at Kisuke, who was slightly red in the face; however, not with embarrassment—she could tell.

"Oh, stop that!" he exclaimed. "I would never peep on a girl!"

The kitsune giggled again. "Oh, Kisuke, you're so fun to tease," she said with a broad smile. Oboro was wondering if she was flirting with him. _A kitsune? And a human? That's bizarre! No, no, __best not to think about it._

Kiku let out another yelp, and Oboro nodded at her. "Of course you can come, Kiku, you're a girl," she said to the fox. She bounded happily over to Oboro and followed her into the woods.

Once out of eyeshot of anyone, Oboro undressed and swapped her clothes out to Momohime's. When she put on the peach kimono and tied the sash around her waist; she felt oddly comfortable, just like she had when she was before Narukami Castle. She felt like she had worn this outfit before.

She slipped on the stockings, the back socks and then put her usual zori back on.

When she was finished, Oboro returned to Kisuke and Yuzuruha—Kiku bouncing around her feet—and she looked to them for their approval.

The kitsune smiled. "You look lovely, Oboro, and you're exactly right for the part," she said. "Now." She pointed to a set of accessories she had in her hand. A red hair comb, and two patches of sakura flowers. "You'll need these if you wish to pass as Momohime."

She nodded and accepted the accessories. Oboro placed the red comb on just below the crown of her head, and fit it in with her hair neatly. Then, she took the two cherry blossom flower sets on both sides of her head just above her ears.

She turned to Kisuke and Yuzuruha. "Well?" she asked. "Do I look like Momohime?"

"More than 'like,'" Kisuke said, folding his arms. "You look spot on. I feel like I'm talking to Momohime herself."

"Wait, have you even talked to her before?" Oboro asked, blinking.

"More than you think," Kisuke said with a smirk.

Oboro blinked again, wondering what he was suggesting.

Yuzuruha stepped toward Oboro. "Indeed, you look exactly like Momohime right now," she said with a sort of pride in her voice. "Now, it's best you be on your way, Oboro. Do not take anything with you besides yourself. It would be odd, and perhaps frightening, to see princess Momohime walking around with a knapsack and Muramasas."

"What if I get attacked?" Oboro asked. She felt like parting with her Muramasas was to separate from a part of herself. "I've had my share of assassins, if I'm unarmed..."

"Yes, I know. That's why Kisuke will go with you as your bodyguard."

"But the guards have seen him before," Oboro said, cocking her head to the side. "Won't they realize I'm a fake if they see him again?"

"No, they won't," Kisuke said. He was leaning against a bambootree. "I'll stop at the bottom of the stairs and hide in the shadows—I was a ninja once myself—and you'll go up the stairs as if you were alone."

Oboro smiled and nodded. "All right, that sounds like it would work." She took in a deep breath, and then looked at Yuzuruha. "Um... how do I act as Momohime?"

"Well, think of how a princess acts and behaves," she instructed. "And then, _be_ that person; believe you're a princess, have confidence and everything else will fall into place."

"Very well," Oboro said. "I... I hope that will work."

The kitsune giggled. "You're already acting the part. Now then," she said, kneeling down to Oboro's height. "You must remember that if Naurkami is a place of memories for you that you _must_ be on guard with your mind. A false step will drive you insane. So, if your mind starts to hurt, make excuses to get away and run. Even if it looks strange, do it. Your mental health right now is more than important than your reputation."

Oboro nodded. "I understand." She looked over at her little fox friend. "Can Kiku come?" she asked.

Yuzuruha shook her head. "I'm sorry, she cannot. She's... needed here. Trust me, don't look so confused, it would alarm the nobles to see a white fox in the castle," she said, standing up. "Now, go, you two. The longer you wait here, the less time Oboro will have at the banquet."

Oboro nodded to the kitsune and then followed Kisuke back to Narukami Castle.

-S-

Oboro was relieved that no assassins came to kill her. The atmosphere was quiet; she could only hear the wind and Kisuke's footsteps. She was biting her lip the whole time down to Narukami. What if she slipped up? What if she got caught? What if she made a fool of herself?

She tried to relax, though it was difficult with her heart beating so fast. Was there a way to calm it down? Oboro tried as hard as she could, placing her hand on her chest. She felt like the wind had been sucked out of her.

Soon, they arrived at steps up to Narukami Castle. Oboro waved goodbye to Kisuke and proceeded up the steps; alone.

Every step she took felt heavy. She had the sudden urge to turn around and flee back to the safety of the shrine. _I can't..._ she thought. _I have to know... what's in that castle for me?_ She continued up the steps, trying to relax; she needed to look as prim and elegant as a princess would.

Finally, she reached the guards, pulling her herself together. She stared at them, would they recognize her as Oboro or Momohime? One of the guards noticed her and looked stunned.

"Princess Momohime?!" he exclaimed. "You've missing for several months! Where... ah, it's not my business. Please, come in, the royalty will be happy to see you."

"Thank you," Oboro said, feeling a little relieved; they had fallen for the ruse.

The other guard opened the door for her and bowed. She blushed. Oboro was not used to such treatment... or was she? A person bowing to her so lowly was a familiar sight to her. But why? She was merely a village girl.

Not wanting to waste time, she headed through the doors with the most grace and elegance she could possibly muster.

Once inside, she was astonished at the castle. It was beautiful beyond belief. There was a circular scarlet carpet on the floor of the finest silk she had ever since. Columns lined the walls and also were laid out to support the arches above. They were made of fine wood, and painted red. The walls were covered with paintings—lovely paintings that Oboro could have only dreamed of.

Yet, all of this, again, felt familiar to her. Maybe she had been a servant girl here once? But then the kimono she wore, the flowers on her head, the comb in her hair were all Momohime's. How could she have been a servant girl if she had felt as if the clothes were her own?

_Maybe... I am Momohime? Just like the assassins called me?_

Her thoughts were interrupted as a horde of nobles surrounded her.

"Princess!"

"My goodness! You've returned!"

"Where have you been all this time?"

"Dear Momohime, we're so glad you have returned to your home here."

All her grace and elegance melted away as she looked from noble to noble. She felt panic in her heart; what would happen if she talked to them? Would her mind break down? Quickly, she tried to think of something to say.

"Are you all right, princess?" one of the nobles asked, concerned.

"She looks pale, perhaps some rest in her room would do her good."

"Well, it's not exactly your place to decide that after the death of her father and sister..."

Although, her head was not hurting, Oboro was becoming more and more scared about her mental health. Then, she thought of something, putting a fake smile on her face.

"Ah, yes! I'm sorry," she said with deep breath. "It's been a long time since I was around royalty, so I was a little startled. I'm glad you all came to the banquet, and I hope you enjoy yourselves. Please, though, I would ask you all to give me some room so I can... breathe."

"Oh, of course, your highness."

"Forgive us."

"We meant no harm, princess."

"Of course, I understand," Oboro said, her confidence building. Her grace and elegance began to return to her. "Please, go your ways and enjoy the evening."

The nobles nodded and dispersed. Oboro sighed in relief; however, she overheard one of the nobles say, "just as kind as she usually is. It is going to be a happy day for us!"

She was acting like Momohime? That was good, it meant she was playing her role well.

Oboro walked around the hall; the food looked wondrous, and the smells that accompanied them were fantastic. Roasted pheasant, roasted squid, sweet potatoes, finely roasted boar, wine, warm rice, salads and more. She wanted to try everything, but knew she couldn't eat everything.

_Besides... I'm not here to eat. I'm here to find out more about my past._

Regardless, Oboro took a sweet potato with her. She made sure to eat it as delicately as possible.

She decided to look at the paintings at the walls. Each showed gorgeous scenes of the royal family during various events. It was like a story, beginning with the rise of the castle and the Narukami clan to their golden age under the guidance of the Kagami royal family.

The paintings were lovely, each drawn with steady hands that painted to the smallest detail. Oboro was enjoying herself when she stopped at a large painting of two women, and a man. The man above the two woman, she could only assume was the Daimyo—the Kagami Lord—and the other two were his daughters. One was fastened in strong armor, yet her face was not covered. She had Oboro's eyes and hair, making Oboro curious about her. Who was she? And why did Oboro think she knew her?

Then she looked at the painting of the other girl, and she dropped her sweet potato, gaping. The young girl looked exactly like Oboro. _What? What is this?_ She was suddenly flooded by images of the past.

She saw a very young girl, probably around four, with black hair and hazel eyes running across a green field. She wore a royal kimono and was chasing an older girl, laughing.

_"Torahime! Torahime! Wait up! I wanna see Mount Fuji, too!"_

_ "Come on, to the top of the castle then, Momohime, at the keep."_

_ "Okay!"_

Laughing, the young Momohime chased after her sister. Torahime caught her around the waist and embraced her. _"Got you!"_ They giggled together.

Another memory flowed into her mind. She saw herself at a distance, but she, herself, was bemoaning something terrible.

_ "Sister... father... why did you have to die? Why was our family betrayed?"_

The power of the image hit Momohime like a hammer, she could not have believed that she would feel the things she did now. Her tears rolled down her cheeks, and she continued to look at the painting.

The scene in her mind changed and she saw an obese man at the knees of herself, pointing a Muramasa at his face.

_"The authorities should take care of you."_

_ "What?"_ Oboro's voice echoed. _"You're _sparing _him? Why? He deserves to die for betraying my family!"_

_ "You whine too much."_

The images then vanished and although Oboro's mind hurt, she continued to stare at the painting. "Father..." she muttered. "Sister..." Then, something in her mind clicked. It stung her mind, but she could not help herself.

"My father...! My sister...!" she said, tears streaming down her eyes. "Why... why did you have to die?" She looked at her hands as if they were someone else's. Then she remembered; a political plot against her family had occurred about seven months ago. Her father and sister were murdered, yet Momohime had escaped.

_Momohime? Am I...?_ The tears dropped onto her hands. The love she felt for the two others in the painting, the remorse that gripped her heart now that they were gone, and the sorrow that such a terrible thing had to happen to them. These feelings revealed to her more than words could have ever done.

"I am..." she said quietly to herself. She began to cry. "And yet... I don't want to be her." Oboro—or Momohime fell to her knees, weeping.

"What's wrong?" a strong male voice said above her.

Momohime looked up, she could feel her face stained with tears. Before her was a man of great stature. He wore a blue kimono and had a samurai sword sheathed at his side. His eyes were striking and his black hair was handsome—as was the rest of him.

"I... I..." Momohime couldn't say what was just revealed to her, not to a random stranger. "I'm just sad, that's all. It's... uh... been awhile and... I didn't realize how much I missed my family."

"I know, it was a sad event," he said with a gentle voice. He knelt down and picked up Momohime's potato and handed it to her. "Dry your eyes, Momohime, and cheer up. Your family is most likely in the heavens."

She felt comforted, and rose to her feet, wiping her eyes. "Thank you, sir," she said. Then, she realized that this man knew her and she had the feeling... shouldn't she know his name?

"Are you all right?" he asked, looking bewildered. "You seem confused."

"Um... uh..." Momohime bit her lip. "I just... um... I have an... uh... illness that took some of my memory. Can you remind me?" she asked politely.

"Yagyu Yukinojyo," he said with a bow. "We've been trying to unite the Yagyu clan and the Narukami for quite some time now. Although... ah... nevermind." Dread filled her heart; she already knew what that meant. "Since you have returned, why don't we go ahead and get married as planned?"

Momohime stood there, stunned. Planned? Her marriage was planned? But she felt no love for this man. And it seemed so sudden that he would ask her like that. "Uh... um..." Her heart felt like it was with someone else. "No, I don't think so," she responded, looking at the floor. "I'm very—"

"They told me that you might resist after your adventures," he said. Adventures? What was he referring to? Did he know that she left her grandparents? "But time is growing short. I don't want to force you into this, Momohime."

"But... but..." was all she could say. "Could... I have some time to think about it?" Maybe Kisuke, Yuzuruha, and Kiku could rescue her before the arranged marriage.

"You had already agreed several months ago—before the attack," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "There's nothing to think about. Again, I don't want to force your hand. Come willingly."

His words were sweet, but his tone was too strong for her. Marriage was not what she wanted, and it was dangerous for her mind; too dangerous. "I... I can't. I've changed my mind," she said, backing away from him.

"Why? What made you change your mind?"

"I... I... I don't know," she said.

"Momohime, your family is dead. If you do not marry me, you will lose your claim to the throne, please understand," Yukinojyo said. There was a pause, and she shook her head again.

"I have no choice then," he said with a regretful sigh. He took her by the hand. "I would like to get the attention of everyone here!" Momohime tried to pull away, but his grip was firm. "Princess Momohime and I are going to commence with the marriage in order to secure her family's future."

"No!" Momohime shouted. But her shout was drowned out by the applause and cheering in the room. "No... no... please no," she muttered.

"I told you that you already agreed to it," Yukinojyo said to her. He sighed. "I'm sorry." He let go of her hand as handmaidens came and took her away.

"Wait! This is a mistake!" Momohime protested.

"Look at her, so flustered," one of the handmaidens said. "Don't worry, Yukinojyo is a good man, he'll make a fine husband. Now, come along," she said before Momohime could protest further. "We're going to get you ready for the wedding."

"Wait... doesn't this take days of planning?" she asked, her voice high-pitched and fast. She pushed off the handmaidens. "I mean, I can't just marry someone at random in a day!"

The other handmaiden smiled. "Your highness, forgive us, but like master Yukinojyo said, your wedding was planned. It's all ready to begin. We just have to get you dressed up for it."

"But I..."

"Come now," she said. They tugged at her kimono sleeve. Momohime bit her lip and said a prayer in her heart that Yuzuruha, Kisuke, and Kiku would come to save her from this madness. Until then, she decided to comply.


	5. Act 5: A Mishap

Act 5: A Mishap

Kisuke was pacing; it had been four hours since Oboro had left for Narukami Castle. Surely, it couldn't have taken this long unless the banquet was lasting all night. Finally, he kicked a stone and spun around to face Yuzuruha. "Something's wrong! I know it. We have to do something."

The kitsune stared at the large castle in the distance, and then nodded. "Yes, I believe you are correct." She looked back at Kisuke. "What do you propose?"

"I'll try and sneak in to find out what's happened to Oboro," Kisuke said. "... why are you looking at me like that? I used to be a ninja! I'll be fine."

Yuzuruha shook her head. "No, I think sending you is far more dangerous," she said firmly. "Someone smaller will have to do." She looked at Kongiku. "It's time." The little fox looked excited. "I'll need you to stay in your smaller form, Kongiku, so you can sneak in. Thus, speak!" She snapped her fingers.

"I... I can talk again...!" the little fox exclaimed. "Oh my! I've been waiting so long to speak. Especially to Oboro, I felt like we were close friends."

Yuzuruha nodded. "Kongiku, I need you to sneak into the castle, and find out what's happened to Oboro. Quickly now!" she ordered.

Kongiku nodded and ran east toward Narukami Castle through the trees.

"I don't understand," Kisuke said to her. "Why couldn't you have sent me? If Kongiku gets caught..."

"She's a cunning one," Yuzuruha said with a smile. "I've known her to weasel her way out of worse situations. If I sent you, what you have done if you were caught?"

"I'd hide, obviously. And use my Muramasas if—I see," he said. Violence would be a terrible answer to guards. Kisuke knew it would only call more of them to trap him. He leaned on a tree, exhaling with irritation. "I hope she's not being marked for execution."

"You have a rather dark imagination, Kisuke," Yuzuruha said with a frown. She twirled her umbrella. "That wouldn't happen to her, even if they caught her as a 'fake.' ... but you and I both know that would not occur."

Kisuke nodded slowly. After all, she was.

-S-

Momohime was handed a lovely white kimono by one of the handmaidens. She smiled at Momohime, and asked, "would you like help getting changed, your highness?"

She thought about it for a moment, and then shook her head. "No thank you, I can handle myself," she said softly.

"Very well, your highness," the handmaiden bowed. The others followed suit. "If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to call upon us. We'd be happy to serve."

Momohime groaned within herself. "Thank you, you're dismissed," she said to the handmaidens. They bowed again and left the room. _Why? Why am I Momohime?_ She wondered as she put the white kimono over her peach one. _Why can't I just be some village girl? Like Oboro? I don't want to marry someone I don't love..._

She heard a voice in your head. _You are Momohime, it's who you are._ She shook her head. "No! I... I... I don't want this identity." Momohime licked her lips and sighed. She walked over to the bowel of white powder on the dresser next to her. She reached in, and painted her face white as according to tradition.

Fighting tears of regret, she took the hood that was attached to the wedding kimono and put it over her face like a veil. She could still see fine, but even so, she felt lost.

_"Who you see is lost in the light, but found in the darkness,"_ the cloaked man's words sounded in her mind. She thought this whole time that he had been referring to himself. But now, had he predicted her identity?

As Momohime—enlightened—she never felt so lost, and yet as Oboro, she had felt like she had found herself... a little bit that was.

She took more of the powder and painted her hands white. She sighed again with disappointment. Momohime had expected something else out of her identity, not some beautiful princess to be used and forced into something she never desired. _Maybe I shouldn't have left... I was so much happier back with my grandparents._

Except they really weren't her grandparents, she realized as she placed the lovely head ornaments of marriage in her hair, while keeping the comb and the flowers. They would fit, wouldn't they?

And what about Jinkuro? _Jinkuro..._ Her heart beat a little faster as his name echoed in her mind. _He's a demon... a demon... why do I seek him then?_ She didn't know, and worse, she would never find him now that she was being married to Yukinojyo.

Momohime walked over to the mirror; her black hair stood in stark contrast to her white face, hands, and kimono. She looked into the glass, only seeing a sad, frightened girl staring back at her. Her hazel eyes were filled with that fright, and Momohime shared her pain.

Turning away from the mirror, believing that she was ready for the ceremony, Momohime walked as slowly as she could to the door. She needed to give Kisuke, Yuzuruha, and Kiku time to save her. That is... could they? _Do they even know what's going on? They have to! Yuzuruha is a kitsune!_ Yet, even the knowledge of the white fox did not comfort her.

-S-

Momohime was led by the handmaidens to the ceremony room. They had pestered her about the hair comb, but she had denied them their efforts. They gave in, mumbling something about 'traditions.'

A long table was set for sake drinking ceremony. At the head of the room and on the other side of the table was Yukinojyo, wearing a black kimono. He smiled kindly at Momohime, and she managed to return a weak, helpless smile.

"Welcome," Yukinojyo said with a gentle voice as she approached him. "You look lovely, Momohime. Are you ready to exchange your vows with me?"

_No..._ she thought. If she could, she would run. But how could she escape? There were no windows to jump through, Yukinojyo looked like a strong man, and the handmaidens would certainly try to stop her.

After a moment, she merely nodded.

"Why the sad countenance?" he asked.

"It's... nothing," she said, stumbling over her words. "I... I don't have any family here, that's all."

"Yes, that does create a problem with the ceremony, we're going to have to change tradition a little," he said. He held a small band that could fit around a finger. "After we drink the sake, I want you to wear this as a symbol of our union."

Momohime's heart went cold. No, she couldn't accept that either! But what choice did she have? She nodded meekly at him, feeling as helpless as a cornered sheep.

Then, a flash of white caught her eye. She couldn't believe it: Kiku was underneath the table. When the fox saw her staring, she ran off, sneaking under the banners and between the columns to avoid notice.

"Kiku...!" she whispered.

"Momohime?" Yukinojyo said, catching her attention. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no," she lied, shaking her head. "Let's... just get started." She regretted those words.

"Very well."

-S-

Kisuke kept pacing; Kongiku had been gone for quite some time. "Dammit," he cursed. "Where is Kongiku? What's keeping her?" He glanced at Yuzuruha, who also appeared to be worried.

"I do not know, Kisuke," the kitsune said to her. She twirled her umbrella more quickly than usual, and turned her gaze to Narukami Castle. Kisuke did the same, staring at it as if it held all their answers... and Oboro.

Then, he heard a panting noise from the forest. A mere moment, and Kongiku jumped into the opening. Her eyes were wide with fear and she was trying to catch her breath.

"What is it?" Kisuke asked, dread filling his heart. "What happened to Oboro?"

After taking a moment to breathe, Kongiku said, "it's bad! Very bad! She's getting married to Yagyu Yukinojyo!" She looked from Kisuke to Yuzuruha. "I left just as they were starting to exchange their vows... and they have probably started drinking the sake."

"Oh... oh no," Yuzuruha muttered. She looked at Kisuke, and he returned her look. "Yukinojyo doesn't know the danger he is putting her in. If he tells Oboro too much about her past...!"

"Yes, I know!" Kisuke said, feeling the urgency of the situation. "Well, come on, let's go! We've got no time to waste! It's better to burst in there than to let her mind melt away."

"No, we still need to sneak in," Yuzuruha said. She licked her lips. "It'll be difficult for the three of us, but I'll use some of my Spirit Powers to assist us in not being noticed." She immediately morphed into her small fox-form; she was as tiny as Kongiku. "Come, Kisuke! We'll need your skills, too."

"Wait, why didn't you use your powers earlier?" Kisuke asked as he ran along with the kitsunes.

"Because..." Yuzuruha said. "It would have drained a little of my spirit fox magic. I need to have as much as possible to restore Kongiku. Hurry!" she added.

He nodded. The two foxes ran ahead to Narukami Castle, Kongiku leading the way. Kisuke dashed after them, worried for Oboro's safety.

-S-

It was done.

Momohime was now wearing the wedding band that Yukinojyo had made for her. She had been taken to the room that apparently had been hers when she lived in the castle. But now, it was also her husband's room.

_Husband?_ She thought with disbelief. _This can't be happening to me!_ Momohime went to the wash basin and immediately doused her head in the water to get the vile powder off of her face. She dunked her hands in and washed the whiteness away.

"Are...? Eep!" Momohime shrieked as she saw Yukinojyo was removing his kimono. He looked confused.

"What? We're married now," he said, raising a brow. "Don't tell me you weren't expecting me to change in front of you."

_Well... I actually wasn't, but..._

"Besides," he continued. "We need to prepare for the reception tomorrow. I'm sure the handmaidens will have your red kimono ready."

"Why did you marry me, Yukinojyo?" She asked quickly, trying to get his attention away from removing his clothes. "Why did you _force_ me? I... do you even love me?"

He paused and faced her. After a moment, he shook his head. "You're a lovely and wonderful woman, Momohime, but... this was for a political alliance between the Yagyu Clan and the Narukami family. We—You _needed _this marriage, especially after the death of your father for reasons I already told you."

She sighed, he wasn't going to give up easily, was he? "Yukinojyo... I understand your concern, but..." she said very slowly. "I don't love you; I never wanted this marriage."

"Unfortunately, as my wife, you are now to be totally obedient to me," he said causally. "I'm sorry you feel this way, but—"

"Sorry?" Momohime stared at him, baffled. "You are sorry? I do not believe you, I am not an object, I am a woman with feelings and my own thoughts!" Momohime could not understand his logic. She glanced to her left. _A window...!_ "I have other—"

"Silence!" Yukinojyo shouted. "Listen, Momohime, you must be obedient, but I promise that I will not force you to—"

"Liar!" Momohime said, clenching her fists together. "You _forced_ me into this ridiculous marriage! And now, I have no freedom because I am merely an object for my 'husband's' use!"

"What is wrong with you, Momohime?" Yukinojyo asked, dumbfounded. "You were always a kind, soft-spoken woman. What has happened?"

Momohime frowned. "You. You're the problem," she said darkly.

"Do not make me strike you," Yukinojyo warned. "I don't want to, but if I have to make you obedient—"

"See? You did lie!" Momohime exclaimed, pointing at him. "You said you would promise me not to force me into doing anything! First, the marriage, now you threaten to strike me into obedience? Go ahead! Strike me!" She wanted it, if anything it would dissolve her marriage.

"I will not let my will be bent by a woman!" he said with anger rising in his voice.

"And they said you were a good man," she hissed, glaring at him. She spat in his face. And then it came—Yukinojyo struck her. "Ow!" Momohime rubbed her cheek tenderly.

He wiped the saliva from his nose. "Let that be a warning to you. I cannot believe that I have to be so harsh with you now," he said, frowning. "You were always a good woman, demure, and kind. What has possessed you to have a spider's venom?"

"As I said before: you. You're problem!"

He cornered her. "Don't force me to strike again, Momohime."

"Go ahead!" she shouted at him. "Strike me! See where it will get you! Nowhere! I would have never married a man who would hit me!" Momohime held out her left hand that had the wedding band on her ring finger. "I'm not your wife anymore." She swiftly clenched the fist with such force that it snapped the band into pieces.

Yukinojyo's face went red with anger. He struck her again, growled, and then hit her face again. With repeated blows, he started to beat her. He struck her face, her back and beat her into the ground.

Then, she had enough. As he brought his arm to strike her back again, it was caught by Momohime's hand. She rose. "I'm not a weak little thing." She swiped her foot, and knocked him to the ground.

"Damn!" Yukinojyo cursed. "Look... we shouldn't be fighting. We used to get along."

She snorted. "It looks like that's long past." Momohime turned to run for the window.

"Jinkuro's strength and defiance are in you," he said. Momohime stopped and spun around. He knew Jinkuro? "I should have guessed."

Curious, but still grinding her teeth together she asked, "how do you know Jinkuro? Who is he? I need to know! I've been trying to find out for months!"

Yukinojyo looked baffled. "You forgot who Jinkuro was?" He paused. "No wonder you didn't know my name. You have amnesia..." He stood up slowly. Momohime kept her guard up. "I'll tell you about Jinkuro. I know plenty about him." He sounded angry again, but she had the feeling it was toward Jinkuro and not herself.

"Very well," Momohime said, relaxing. "Tell me everything you know."

"Jinkuro was vile swordsman, who at point lost his body due to a fatal sickness," Yukinojyo began to explain. "He was then a demon, a soul. He gained the ability to possess others' bodies, effectively making him immortal. He is a power-hungry, selfish, and loathsome being. And he used _you_ for awful things."

"Me...?" Momohime said, no longer gritting her teeth, but looking at Yukinojyo in wonder. Then, she realized her head was started to hurt. She could see images of a green wisp glaring at her, and could feel herself being torn apart. Yet, her body remained whole. "W-wait...!"

"You asked," he said, most likely not realizing the danger Momohime was in. "Jinkuro tried to possess me using the Kuromistu blade, allowing him to Soul Transfer. You interfered and he struck you instead. You became his slave. He took your body, and murdered others with it. He even attempted to murder me!

"He sought power, he went to the heavens to challenge the gods himself using _your_ body. And nothing could stop him!

"You were helpless to this senseless beast. He never loved you one bit, and he continued to use your body despite the fact that he sought another for his own purposes! Even his servant, a kistune was merely a tool for his objectives! He cared for no one, and loved none but himself!"

Momohime's mind was starting to scream, and she grasped it. Momohime could hear voices from the past.

_"Because you interfered, I'm going to take your body, girl! ... Don't interfere again! He intends to fight me, then he will fight me!"_

_ "What?! You...? Defiling a woman's body for your own means?! Stop it! You shouldn't kill him, Jinkuro!"_

_ "And you're going to stop me? He can't hear you. ... Give me the Kuromistu blade, Yukinojyo, or you will die."_

_ "No! Stop it!"_

_ "I said don't interfere, girl!"_

Momohime could not make out anything else Yukinojyo was saying. Instead, all she could hear was her screaming, and feel her mind breaking down. She let out a blood-curling scream and fell on something soft. Momohime could vaguely hear Yukinojyo's voice calling out to her. Did he sound concerned? She wasn't sure. All that was happening now is that she was going to go insane.

-S-

"Momohime! Momohime!" Yukinojyo cried, staring at the shrieking princess rolling on the bed. "What is happening?!" He grabbed her body and desperately and shook her, but she continued to scream.

_Is this because I struck her? Or... no, it can't be. I only told her about Jinkuro! Then what—_

"What's happening?!" voices exclaimed behind Yukinojyo. He spun around to see the nobles who had attended the marriage ceremony. Their faces were pale. "What... what did you do to her?"

"Nothing... except tell her about—"

"Yukinojyo, I didn't know you would harm your wife, let alone our dear Momohime!"

"Listen to me!" he said, but his voice couldn't ascend above the panicked voices of the nobles. He looked around, panic filling his own heart. How was he going to get Momohime out of her horrid state?

Then, two white foxes dashed into the room. One jumped on the bed, and the other transformed into a humanoid form, wearing a green kimono. A kitsune! Receiving a glare from the kitsune, Yukinojyo watched as she placed her hands on Momohime's head. Slowly, she stopped screaming and entered a state of sleep. The fox on the bed began to lick her face.

"Is... is she alive?" Yukinojyo asked the kitsune. She nodded and then headed for the door. At that moment, Yukinojyo was surprised to see Kisuke burst through the group of nobles and run to Momohime's side.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" he growled. "She looks like she took a major pounding. Did you...?"

"Kisuke, silence," the kitsune ordered. She faced the nobles and her voice boomed over their own. "That's enough! All of you must leave now! Yukinojyo has done no harm to princess Momohime and she'll be fine. Leave! And if I hear _any_ gossiping, you shall be cursed."

The nobles immediately clammed up, looking fearfully upon the white fox and backed away from the door. Then she slammed the door in their faces and turned to Yukinojyo. Fear entered his heart as he realized that the kitsune, Kisuke, and even the small fox were glaring at him.

"I... I..." he stuttered. "I don't know what happened! After telling her what she asked about Jinkuro, she started to scream like that!"

"Yes, yes," the kitsune said, her voice softer now. "What happened is you told her _too much_ about her past for her fragile mind to handle."

"She... she is Momohime, isn't she?" Yukinojyo asked the kitsune.

"Yes, she is." The fox nodded. She twirled her umbrella, inhaled, and then exhaled. "How is she, Kisuke?" she asked, turning to the former ninja.

"Sleeping, and stable," he said, looking at Momohime's face. He glared at Yukinojyo again. "Why did you beat her? I can tell from the bloodstains and bruises on her face! You're not that type of person!"

"No, I'm not... I... I got caught up in a rage against her," Yukinojyo admitted, looking at the ground. "I shouldn't have struck her like that. Please... forgive me. She never deserved that." He looked at the kitsune. "What has happened to her? I assumed she has amnesia, but... I've never seen anything like this."

"Oboro... Jinkuro..." Momohime muttered in her slumber. Yukinojyo shot a glance at her; feeling dumbfounded. _She's mentioning his name in her sleep? What does this mean?_ He wondered.

"It's a long story, Yukinojyo," the kitsune said. "Though, the one you should seek forgiveness from is Momohime. I had Kongiku here scout what was happening after we sent Momohime to Narukami Castle to find out more about her past. The fact that you were trying to marry her alarmed me. I'm sorry you did not know, but she has a deadly type of amnesia where she didn't even remember her own name, and any memories that return to her hurt her mind. Too many, and she'll go insane."

"Is there anyway to stabilize her mind?" Yukinojyo asked. Guilt wrapped around his heart like chains, and worry tightened them. "Or does her memories make it stronger?"

"Yes," the kitsune said. "Over time with memory by memory, her mind will grow stronger to the point where it can survive a large amount of memories. But not this time," she added.

"Is... she all right?" he asked slowly, now staring at Momohime.

"Yes, I was able to heal her in the nick of time," the kitsune said with a comforting voice. "Right now, she's probably suffering her nightmares. The poor dear."

"Nightmares? Please, explain to me what happened."

"Well," Kisuke said, sounding less angry now. "It started on Mount Kongo."

"Where you fought Jinkuro?" Yukinojyo asked. Kisuke nodded. "Yes, as I recall, you two wounded each other mortally. We thought Momohime was lost to us because... we only found you after the battle, Kisuke."

"Well, she survived, thanks to Jinkuro, at least according to Yuzuruha here," Kisuke said, folding his arms.

"What?"

"It's true, Jinkuro—" the kitsune started. Suddenly, Momohime shot up in the bed, shouting out Jinkuro's name.

"Oboro!" the little fox exclaimed. Was that fox also a kitsune? Yukinojyo didn't want to think about it. All he wanted to do now was apologize to her. He, Kisuke, and the other kitsune gathered around the frightened princess.

"What... what happened?" Momohime said, rubbing her head. "I thought I was going to lose my mind..." She looked at the kitsune. "Yuzuruha... did you heal me?"

"Yes," she said, smiling at her. "And just in time, too."

"Kisuke? Kiku? You all came?" She asked, looking around. Then, when Momohime met Yukinojyo's eyes, she scowled. "Even you?"

"Y-yes," Yukinojyo said, biting his lip. "Momohime, I'm very sorry—"

"No... I don't want to hear any excuses, you hurt me enough!" Momohime exclaimed, she shoved everyone out of her way. Yukinojyo tried to stop her, but he wasn't fast enough as the princess jumped out the window.

"Momohime!" he called.

"Are you crazy?" Kisuke called, jumping out the window after her.

"Kongiku!" Yuzuruha said to the small fox. "Go ahead, I'll talk with Yukinojyo about this."

The white fox nodded and bounded out of the window, leaving a stunned Yukinojyo behind. He looked at Yuzuruha with fear. Yet, she did not seem angry.

"I'll tell you what happened at Mount Kongo."


	6. Act 6: A Sorrowful Memory

Act 6: A Sorrowful Memory

Kisuke jumped from tree branch to tree branch, before finally landing on the ground. He heard a quiet thump next to him. He looked over to see Kongiku behind him. She looked very concerned.

"We have to find Oboro!" she said. He nodded in agreement. "Here, follow me, Kisuke!" She ran ahead on her four feet, picking up dust among the dirt path. He dashed behind the kitsune, carrying his Muramasa and Oboro's knapsack with him.

"Where's Yuzuruha?" Kisuke asked as they made their way quickly through the woods away from Narukami Castle.

"She told me to go ahead," Kongiku responded between breaths. "She's dealing with Yukinojyo right now."

"Can you track Oboro?" Kisuke asked the kitsune. The little fox nodded. "Good, I'll follow you." His feet crunched under the grass as he ran and he could barely catch the smells of the bamboo trees. _Now is not the time for sight-seeing!_ He thought. _I hope Oboro didn't break anything._

It was odd to him; was he starting to like Oboro? _She has Torahime's eyes and hair..._ He licked his lips. _No, her heart belongs to another. All I can do is comfort her._

Finally, they reached a clearing with a lake where a young lady in a white kimono was standing. Well, she wasn't standing, but rather bent over with her hands on her knees, and obviously catching her breath. She probably heard Kisuke and Kongiku approaching for she stood up straight and spun around. Her eyes flashed with anger.

"Oboro!" Kongiku said happily. "Don't worry, it's just us!"

She blinked. "Kiku? You can talk?" she asked the fox.

"Err..." Kongiku paused. "Yes... I can talk now. Thanks to Yuzuruha. It's a long story... and I should best not tell it to you because it's a part of your past and I think your mind is..."

"It's fine," Oboro said curtly. "I hate that Yukinojyo. Forcing me to marry and then beating me like that." She scowled. "I'm not his wife anymore." She tore off the white kimono. Kisuke tried to cover his eyes, but he realized that she was still wearing the peach kimono underneath.

He watched as she ripped the marriage kimono apart with her bare hands, each tear more vicious than the last until it was nothing but shreds. She took the marriage ornaments in her hair and tossed them onto the ground. Then, she stomped on them, breaking them into pieces.

Kisuke swallowed; he had never seen Oboro so angry before. _Perhaps Jinkuro did change something in her? She used to be timid and relaxed._

After breaking everything related to her marriage, Oboro took in deep breaths, clenching her fists. Slowly, her fists uncurled into hands and her expression became relaxed and calm.

He waited for a moment and then decided to speak. "You're still wearing that peach kimono," Kisuke noted. He shrugged his arms. "I don't understand, don't you want to be completely severed from Yukinojyo?"

"I am supposedly Princess Momohime," Oboro said, but then her face grew sad. "But I don't want to be her. I never asked to be a princess, and I never asked for my family to dead; murdered in a political plot against the Narukami." She buried her face in her hands. "Why am I her?"

"Oboro..." Kisuke frowned, and let out a sigh. "You need to accept who you really are. You can't change who you are, no matter what. Sure, you can change your behavior and habits, but your personal identity is something you cannot change."

She looked at Kisuke as if he was wrong. "I wish I was someone else," she said, turning away from him.

"I know, you don't want to be someone who suffered so much pain," he said, walking up to her. "But... didn't you say that you needed to find out your identity? Before you went into the castle, you were determined to discover your identity. And now you have. Are you going to run from it?"

Oboro didn't answer him, instead she stared off into the forest. Kisuke could see tears in her eyes. After several moments, she spoke, "you're right. I wanted to know who I was... and now I have to accept that. Besides," she added, turning to face Kisuke. I promised my grandparents—even though they are not related to me—that I would find my identity. I am princess Momohime. Call me 'Momohime' from now on."

"Of course I will," Kisuke said with a nod. She smiled, looking more content. "I guess you're wearing that peach kimono and the hair accessories because they are... yours. So, you've cut yourself off from Yukinojyo."

"Yes, I have by destroying everything related to that awful marriage. Now, I'm free of him," she said, letting out a sigh of satisfaction. "But..." Her face shifted into a sad expression. "I'm scared..."

"Scared? Why?" Kisuke asked, looking at her, feeling confused. "What are you scared of, Obo—I mean, Momohime?"

"I'm scared of Jinkuro," she said after several moments.

Kisuke felt like he had been struck by a dagger. Yes, he hadn't understood why she desired Jinkuro, but he was confounded by Momohime's words. "Why?" he asked.

"Because of what Yukinojyo said," Momohime responded, exhaling. She rubbed her arms and shivered. "He told me about all the horrible things Jinkuro did... by himself and using my body. Sure, I shouldn't believe him, but... I recalled so many memories of Jinkuro and all of them were foul." She began to cry. "Why would I seek such an awful man? He really is a demon like the dragon god said."

"No."

"Huh?" Momohime looked at Kisuke in surprise. Her eyes were still watery. "What do you mean?"

"Jinkuro wasn't always evil," Kisuke said with a calm voice. Momohime stared at him; and he nodded at her. "From what Yuzuruha told me; he started as a vile monstrous person, his hardened heart was softened. Softened by _you_."

"H-how?" Momohime asked. "I... I softened his heart?"

"It's true," Kongiku interjected. "Jinkuro... was my master." Momohime's eyes widened and she was now staring at the fox. "I was jealous of his growing affections toward you, but then I realized... I could not stop him. So, I wanted to help you, Momohime. That's why I followed you when you left your grandparents."

Kisuke nodded. "Here, let me explain, I hope your mind can handle this, but he showed his love for you... on Mount Kongo. I was too stubborn to believe it... but now it makes sense." he said.

"Why?" Momohime asked.

"Because... I can see your emotions toward him," Kisuke said. "Regardless... you need to know what happened at Mount Kongo."

"What happened?"

"Your body was severely wounded after I made a final strike on your body," Kisuke explained. He felt apprehensive—Momohime had just been very angry, would she become angry at him, too? "I barely survived, but Yuzuruha told me how you survived while you away were at Narukami Castle of late.

"Jinkuro used a Spirit Fusion," he said, gesturing with his hands. He noticed Momohime's confused expression. "A Spirit Fusion is where two souls fuse together to save a body. The one who performs the Spirit Fusion becomes one with the other. And the one who it is performed upon loses their memory.

"This happened to me when I was dying once. I know the Oboro Style because the spirit of Oboroya Senjyu came to me and performed a Spirit Fusion to save my life. I lost my memory for a time, though it seems it wasn't severe as your amnesia."

"Yes," Kongiku chimed in. "My master cared about you, Momohime, so much that he wanted you to live."

Tears streamed down Momohime's face. She said nothing, and Kisuke was assuming that she was recalling the events on Mount Kongo.

-S-

Momohime was stunned by Kiku and Kisuke's words. Jinkuro... loved her? She turned toward the lake and looked at her reflection. She knelt down and pondered what had happened on Mount Kongo.

Then, a flood of memories returned to her. She saw him—Jinkuro—in her body, kneeling on the ground with a deep wound in his chest. Or rather... her body's chest.

_ "Oh no! What do I do? Be strong...! Please don't die, Jinkuro!"_

_"My life is over, Momohime. This wound is far too deep to be healed."_

_ "Please! You must live! Please... live for my sake."_

_ "I'm sorry. I cannot bare to lose your body because of me. Hm... a Spirit Fusion... interesting. Momohime... with the last of my strength, I will save your soul and body. Just... remember... my... my power... Oboro..."_

_ "Jinkuro, no!"_

There was a flash of light from her body and then she remembered nothing more of that memory.

Then, another memory came to her mind. The spirit of a large obese man—the same who had betrayed her family—stood before them as she and Jinkuro journeyed through Hell.

_"Ah... Shikami Danyjo... I see the authorities took care of you. Momohime will be pleased."_

_ "Curse you, Jinkuro!"_

Another image: she was in the belly of a demon with Jinkuro. But Jinkuro was a soul before her, and had not taken her body.

_"Are you all right, Jinkuro?"_

_ "Yes... thank you. Let me take your body so we can get out of this mess!"_

_ "Very well. Ugh!"_

_ "That was very clever of you. Well done, Momohime, it seems you are wiser than I thought."_

_ "Thank you, Jinkuro."_

Her tears dropped into the lake below, joining it as part of its water. She covered her face, and wept. "Jinkuro..." Momohime whispered. "He did those things for me... and I did something for him. No...!"

She sobbed, letting her hands grow wet with her tears. Momohime's heart was overwhelmed by the love Jinkuro must have shown her, because it broke.

"Oh, Jinkuro... it's no wonder I've been seeking you so long," she mourned. "You loved me... and... I love you... but how... do I...?" She lifted her eyes to the skies, and they were darkened with clouds.

_"Everything becomes clear with Jinkuro, yet when will the skies clear?"_

The cloaked man again. How had he predicted all of this? It didn't matter now. Jinkuro was gone, and Momohime could not think of way to restore her beloved.

"Momohime?" Kisuke's voice came from behind her. "You remembered... didn't you?"

"Yes!" she wailed. "I remembered. I remembered everything he did for me, and... and I understand why I sought him. But he's gone now, Kisuke! Gone! I'll never see him again, never talk to him again. Never... be able... to feel his love again." Momohime buried her hands in her face, and continued to cry.

"No!" Kisuke stomped on the grass next to her, startling her. She looked up to see him with his teeth grinding, and his fists clenched. "I won't allow it!"

"What do you mean?"

"I was in love with your sister Torahime." Kisuke said with quiet voice. He looked at her and knelt down. "I loved her more than anything, but I lost her in that plot to destroy your family. You won't lose him. No, I won't allow it, you will not lose him like I lost Torahime. We'll find a way to restore him. I promise."

Momohime smiled and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Kisuke," she said, bathing his shoulder with her tears. She pulled back and frowned. "But how are we going to restore Jinkuro?"

"I... that I do not know," Kisuke said, looking away from her. "Maybe Yuzuruha has an idea."

Momohime then felt a tongue licking her hand, she looked over to see Kiku licking her hand affectionately. "Kiku..." she muttered.

"Don't cry, Momohime," Kiku said. She looked up at her and wagged her tail. "My master is strong, I'm sure we can bring him back."

"But... how?" Momohime repeated. She wiped her wet eyes. "How does one undo a Spirit Fusion?"

"The Muramasa Scepter," said a female voice. Momohime turned her head to the side and saw Yuzuruha standing there, smiling at her with gentleness. The kitsune walked over to her, and handed Momohime a handkerchief. "Dry your eyes, my child. It will be all right."

"The Muramasa Scepter?" Kisuke asked, there was disbelief on his face. "I thought that was a myth, Yuzuruha."

"Just like every other Muramasa artifact?" Yuzuruha asked with an amused smile.

"What is the 'Muramasa Scepter?'" Momohime asked, wiping her eyes and then she blowed her nose.

"The Muramasa Scepter, according to legend, is supposed to break a Spirit Fusion," Kisuke explained. "But... there's a risk. If the two souls that were fused have not grown strong enough, then both of them will die."

"Oh my," Momohime muttered. "But... even so, we should try to find it anyway." She stood up, feeling hope at last.

"But where do we look?" Kisuke said, shaking his head. "Unlike the myth of the Muramasa Mask, there's nothing about the Scepter's location in its myth."

"'Tis true," Yuzuruha said, frowning. Momohime's heart dropped; there was no way to find the Scepter?

"But... but..." Momohime stuttered, her mouth opening and closing. "I want to see Jinkuro again. We have to find that Scepter!"

"Well, where do you suggest looking?" Kisuke asked, sounding doubtful. "It could be anywhere in Japan, and it could take years to find it. Look, I'm not trying to discourage you, Momohime, but... we'd need a clue."

"We already have one," Yuzuruha said rather pleasantly.

"We do?" Kisuke asked, staring at the kitsune in disbelief.

"Yes, those who are power-hungry will seek out the Scepter," she said, sitting down.

"Then why didn't Jinkuro go after it?" Momohime asked with a frown. "He was power-hungry, selfish, and cruel—at least once—why wouldn't have he sought it?"

Yuzuruha smiled. "Perhaps, he did not believe it existed or did not know about the myth," she said simply with a shrug.

"All right," Kisuke said. "So, we have a clue. How many power-hungry people are there in the world? ... That are still alive, that is?"

"Well, not all of them could possibly be dead," Momohime said, trying to keep a hold of the little hope she had. "There has to be someone who knows."

"Yes, well, we'll have to search," Yuzuruha said. "Interestingly enough... I've also heard that if one uses the Mask and the Scepter together, it creates a power called 'Spirit Forging.' However, no one has ever used it... or there is no legend or myth of anyone using the technique."

"Then, how do you know about it?" Momohime asked, curiously.

"There are things that kitsunes know that humans do not," Yuzuruha said, looking rather amused again. Kisuke and Momohime exchanged confused glances.

Then, Kisuke blinked and then looked surprised. "Oh, Momohime, I forgot!" He took her knapsack from his shoulder. "Here!" He tossed it to her and she caught it. "Your blades are in there. Safe and sound."

"Thank you, Kisuke," Momohime said with a smile. She turned around and sat in front of the lake to examine her blades. How was she going to restore Jinkuro? He had been a master of the Oboro Style. It made her wonder—as she took out her grandpa's blade—would he be proud of her progress with the style?

She was staring off into space and then noticed that her grandpa's blade was dull at the edge. How? "Um... Kisuke? Yuzuruha?" she said, turning to the two of them. "How did my grandpa's blade become dull?"

"I had to use a Secret Art to get past the guards, and your blade had the perfect one—Misty Slash," Kisuke explained, biting his lip. "I'm sorry about that, though."

"It's all right," she said, waving his worry aside. "How do I sharpen it?"

"Here, use this," Kisuke said, standing up and handing Momohime a stone with a strange hieroglyph engraven upon its surface. "This is an omura stone. Just swipe it across the blade and it will sharpen the edge."

Momohime nodded, taking the stone. "Thank you." She began to swipe the stone across the blade. Then, she heard the tree branches shift with the leaves moving.

"Yukinojyo? What are—" She heard Kisuke's voice ask in surprise. Momohime frowned.

_Him again? What does he want now?_

"Please... let me talk to her," Yukinojyo's strong voice said. Momohime restrained herself from growling, and kept sharpening her blade; pretending not to notice what was happening.

"Momohime..." Yukinojyo's sounded behind her.

She didn't face him, and continued to sharpen her Muramasa with the omura stone. Momohime looked straight ahead; she felt her face was hard as the stone itself. Every swipe became more and more fierce.

"Please..." Yukinojyo said, begging. "Forgive me. I should not have struck you like that."

Momohime kept swiping the stone across the blade and didn't respond. She had a slight urge to twirl the blade around and stab him through the chest, but she knew it would only hurt her further.

"I understand that you don't want to talk to me," he continued. "But please, at least let me help you find Jinkuro."

Momohime dropped the stone in surprise. She turned her head at Yukinojyo just in time to see him wipe his eyes. _What's going on?_ "Why the sudden change of heart?" she asked, noting that he was on his knees.

"Because of the kitsune," he said, pointing at Yuzuruha. "I now know that Jinkuro loved you very much. She told me about the Spirit Fusion. It was no wonder you had his strength, Momohime." He smiled; possibly glad that she was looking at him. "I understand you don't love me, so please let me help you find the one you love the most."

Momohime was stunned. Yuzuruha told him? She supposed it was wise to do so. She turned around completely, standing up and sitting down again, and faced him. Momohime felt herself smile. "I accept your assistance, Yukinojyo. And I... forgive you for beating me," she added slowly.

"Thank you," he said, standing up.

She also stood up. "But how are we going to restore him? Besides the Muramasa Scepter, that is."

"The Muramasa Scepter?" Yukinojyo said with widened eyes. "That object is dangerous, Momohime!"

"I know, I know," she said, nodding. "But I... want to try."

"Well, I may have a solution that would avoid the Scepter," he said.

"And that is?"

Yukinojyo showed her a blade in his hand—sheathed—with a black handle and scabbard. "This is Jinkuro's personal Muramasa: the Kuromistu blade. It allows Jinkuro to execute a total Soul Transfer if he strikes his target with the blade. I've heard it has a deadly Secret Art that only the most powerful of Oboro Stylists could use."

"Amazing," Momohime said. She glanced over at Yuzuruha; the kitsune seemed to be only listening. "But how will that help us restore Jinkuro?"

"Every Muramasa takes some of the life essence of its owner," Yukinojyo explained. "They do not drain their owner of life, but to restore them if they fall. In other words, it's a way of the Muramasa preserving the wielder from death. However, it's not perfect," he added with a warning voice. "So, do not rely on the Muramasas to save your life."

"Regardless," Kisuke interjected. "Only if a Muramasa is chosen as your personal blade will it take some of your life essence. So, right now, Momohime, none of the Muramasas you have should be a personal one."

"No, that's not true," Momohime said. She showed her grandpa's blade—now sharpened—to Kisuke. She noted that Yukinojyo looked away from the blade. "See this one? I think this is my personal Muramasa."

"Ah," Kisuke said as she sheathed it and placed it back into her belt. "I see, that would make sense since your 'grandpa' owned that blade."

"Actually, my grandpa found it with me when I was unconscious after the Spirit Fusion," Momohime said. She ran her hand across the black hilt wrapped in cloth of azure.

"Grandpa?" Yukinojyo asked slowly. "Your grandparents died long before your parents, Momohime. Who are you referring to?"

Momohime smiled, and wiped one of her eyes. "There's an elderly couple who found me and took care of me for six months under the name of 'Oboro,'" she explained. "It's been a month since then, and as Oboro and Momohime now—I've been seeking my and Jinkuro's identities." She sighed. "Now that I know I'm Momohime, then it's true they aren't my _real_ grandparents. But... because of how kind they were; in my mind, I will always see them as 'grandpa' and 'grandma.'"

"I see," Yukinojyo said. "They will be honored to discover that they were taking care of the Narukami Princess for half a year."

"Yes," Momohime said with a smile. "Regardless, you didn't clearly explain how the Kuromistu blade is a good alternative to the Muramasa Scepter, Yukinojyo."

"Forgive me." He shook his head. He sighed and said, "I am actually not entirely sure... but I've heard legends of Oboro Style masters being revived by their own Muramasa; restoring body and soul."

"How do you cause that to happen?" Momohime asked, intrigued.

Yukinojyo paused and shook his head. "That, I do not know. I am of the Shinkage Style, not the Oboro Style," he said with a frown. "I'm sorry."

Momohime sighed with disappointment. She looked at the ground. What good was Jinkuro's Muramasa if none knew how activate its powers? "Well, I suppose we should at least keep it with us in case we need it," She said. Yukinojyo nodded.

"But this doesn't matter in the long run," Kisuke said with a shrug. "If we're going to find the Muramasa Scepter, we need more of a hint than a 'power-hungry' man."

"Wait," Momohime said, her eyes widened with realization. "My dreams! Maybe my nightmares can solve this problem."

"How?" Kisuke asked in disbelief. "Have you seen the Scepter in your dreams?"

"No, but..." She noticed Yukinojyo's confused expression. "You see, I have nightmares about a shadowed figure." She explained everything to him. Her occasional death, her constant seeking of Jinkuro, the chains, and the shadowed figure's last words.

"It seems like this 'shadowed figure' is trying to discourage you from finding out your past," Yukinojyo noted. "And is trying to make Jinkuro out to be someone out to murder you, Momohime."

"Yet, we know that's not true now," Momohime said. "But what does it mean?"

"I think I understand now," Yuzuruha said. Momohime looked at her to see the kitsune rubbing her chin. "The shadowed figure... must be a real person invading your dreams."

"Who would have the power to do that?"

"Tokugawa Tsunayoshi..." Yukinojyo muttered. "Yes... yes! That makes sense!"

"That bastard?" Kisuke exclaimed. He grit his teeth. "I thought I killed him months ago!"

"So we all, Kisuke," Yukinojyo said with a nod. "So we all."

"Who's Tokugawa Tsunayoshi?" Momohime asked, curious.

"The Shogun of Japan," Yukinojyo explained. "He was the head of the entire political plot against your family in order to destroy any opposition to his reign. Kisuke had been revived and as part of the Yagyu clan, and I had him kill Tokugawa."

"I also had my own reasons," Kisuke said. "He was trying to become a demon using a Muramasa called the 'Kuzuryuu blade'." He grit his teeth. "He killed Torahime with it."

"My gods," Momohime said with a gaping mouth. "My sister...?" She looked away from them, feeling anger in her chest. "Why would he... kill Torahime?"

"Probably the same damn reason he wants to murder you," Kisuke said, still angry.

"Are you saying then that he's somehow been invading my nightmares as the shadowed figure in order to... prevent me finding out that I'm the princess of Narukami?"

"Yes," Yukinojyo said. "He has the power to invade dreams, and since it does sound like he tried to discourage you, yet failed, he could have taken the throne as long as you remained as 'Oboro.'"

"This does make sense then!" Momohime said, exchanging glances with Kisuke. "He probably is seeking out the Muramasa Scepter, too. I have no doubt that he believes that he could destroy me with it if he knows Jinkuro is fused with me." She looked at Yuzuruha. "Do you know where Tokugawa might have headed?"

"There's only place I can think of," Yuzuruha said in a dark voice. "Yamato—Mount Kongo. That is where Jinkuro was reaching the peak of his power. The same with Kisuke," she added, looking around at the four of them. "The overwhelming aura of the Muramasas is there now. And no doubt, if Tokugawa is as, or even more power-hungry than Jinkuro was, he will be there."

"Then we should head there!" Momohime said, fingering her Muramasa. "I am a master of the Oboro Style now thanks to Jinkuro. Kisuke and I should be able to destroy him."

"I will help," Yukinojyo said, patting his own sword. "My Shinkage Style will help you two in fighting him."

"That is... if he is there," Yuzuruha said with a dubious tone of voice. "We'd be making a gamble."

"Except it's probably not a gamble," Yukinojyo said with a firm voice. "I've had my spies watching a suspicious man of late. He went to Yamato, according to their information, and then he vanished. I think this is the same man."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Kisuke asked the group.

"Mount Kongo is very far from here, Kisuke," Yuzuruha said. "And I have lost my power to teleport between shrines. We'd have to travel all the way to Yamato, and then further up the mountain. If he is there right now, we'll miss him."

"So, what do you recommend, Yuzuruha?" Kisuke asked, tapping his foot.

The kitsune's face spread into another amused smile. "To restore who I have cursed. Kongiku!" She said, motioning to Kiku.

_Kongiku? That name...! So familiar!_

_ "You're growing fond of Momohime... at least, I hope you haven't, HAVE YOU? Grrr... I want to rip her soul apart with my spirit fox powers!"_

_ "Don't be stupid. I'm just having her come along so she doesn't get captured again."_

Momohime rubbed her head. Kiku—or Kongiku hated her once? Yet, she was her friend.

Yuzuruha approached Kiku, and placed her hands on the fox's head. "Kongiku, I'm going to restore you to your full form as my fellow kitsune. And I'm going to leave a blessing with you that—unless you return to your old ways—you can never be cursed again."

There was a flash of light around Kiku and, like Yuzuruha, she changed into a humanoid form. The light vanished, and Kiku was a well-endowed fox wearing an orange kimono. With her, she carried a lantern. She looked at her hands and smiled widely.

"I'm restored! I'm restored!" she exclaimed. "Thank you, Yuzuruha," she added with a bow.

"Remember, I'm doing this for you because you were loyal and kind to Momohime," Yuzuruha said, waving a finger. "Don't waver from that."

"I won't," she said. She looked at Momohime and giggled. "You look so surprised. I'm sorry, I'm not Kiku; though, I've grown fond of that name, but my real name is Kongiku, Momohime. But don't worry, I'm still your friend." She walked up to her and hugged her. Momohime accepted the embrace despite her shock.

"Ah... yes, I think I remember you now," Momohime said. "You were jealous of me once, weren't you?"

Kongiku nodded. "Yes, I was. I told you that, remember?" she said.

Momohime smiled. "Yes, you did." She looked from the kitsunes to Kisuke and then to Yukinojyo. "Well, let's not waste anymore time. Let's stop Tokugawa!"

Everyone nodded in agreement with her.


	7. Act 7: Jinkuro

Act 7: Jinkuro

Momohime led the way as the group traveled quickly to the Mino Shrine. Oddly enough, Tokugawa had not sent his assassins (at least Momohime assumed they had been his) to kill her again like they had tried in Mount Fuji and in Shinano.

It didn't take long to reach the shrine; once they were there, Kongiku placed herself in front of the shrine. "Everyone gather around me," she said. She looked nervous, and she licked her lips. "I've never warped a group this size..."

"Don't worry," Yuzuruha said with a comforting voice. "I know you can do it. You're one of the strongest of us." Momohime assumed that she was referring to their race, and not to the group.

"All right," Kongiku said. She bit her lip as if she didn't believe her fellow kitsune. Momohime watched as she conjured up her spirit fox powers. "In the name of Inari, I call upon the powers of the kitsune to teleport myself and all around me to Yamato!"

White sparkling ribbons of light flashed around the group, and it formed a large, circular mirror encasing them. Kongiku bit her lip again and then snapped her fingers. The mirror shattered, and suddenly, Momohime found herself in the grassy fields of Yamato province. She looked around, and saw that everyone else had made it.

Then she saw Kongiku.

The kitsune was on all fours and was breathing so heavily that Momohime feared she would collapse. Immediately, she went to Kongiku and took hold of her shoulders.

"Kongiku! Are you all right?" she asked with a worried voice. "That... that didn't drain too much from you... did it?"

The kitsune looked up and smiled at her, still exhaling. "I'll be all right, Momohime," she said softly. "I just need... some rest. Go on without me."

Momohime shook her head. "No. You've been my best friend for months now, Kongiku. I don't want to leave you behind," she said, caressing the kitsune's shoulders.

"But... you must hurry...!"

"I know, but..." Momohime paused and bit her lip. "I'd rather you be with us when we face Tokugawa. Here," she added pulling out a peach. "Eat this, it should help you feel better."

"You are too kind, Momohime," Kongiku said to her with a smile. She took the peach and sat on her knees. Taking a bite out of the fruit, the kitsune started to look a little stronger already.

"We're going to wait until Kongiku is ready," Momohime ordered the group. They nodded. It was strange for her to feel like she was in command. She still felt a little like Oboro—the village girl.

"Momohime," Yuzuruha said after a pause. "I forgot to give these to you." She handed her three strips of samurai armor along with a pair of metal bracers and hand pads.

Momohime blinked, shooting a confused look at the kitsune. "What are these?" Despite her question, they appeared so familiar.

"This is the armor Jinkuro 'gave' you when he first possessed your body," she explained. "Here, these go on on your shoulders—the longer ones—and the shorter one covers your lower back." She smiled. "I assume you know where the bracers go."

Momohime nodded as she attached the armor plating according to Yuzuruha's directions. Then, she put on the metal bracers and made sure they were fitting properly. Finally, she placed the purple pads on the tops of her hands.

"So... this is Jinkuro's armor?" Momohime asked. She felt plating on her shoulders that hung over her kimono sleeves. "It looks like it was made to fit my outfit. Strange."

"Actually, it's not so strange if you think about it," Kisuke said. "After all he _did_ use your body, and you were wearing that kimono at the time. Jinkuro is a mighty warrior; he rarely went without armor."

"I suppose that makes sense," she said with a shrug. "Regardless, the armor is a welcome addition." She moved away from the party and quickly drew one of her Muramasas and swung as fast as she could. Momohime felt herself dancing back and forth without difficulty; she smiled. "Good."

She noticed Yuzuruha nod at her with a smile. Kongiku was finishing her peach. "You look much like my master when he was in your body, Momohime," she remarked.

Smirking, she nodded at her friend. "Well, I think I'm ready. What about you, Kongiku?" She stumbled on the kitsune's name; Kiku had been a much better name.

Kongiku was still eating the peach, but she was standing. Finishing a bite, she said, "yes, I'm ready."

"Let's make haste to Mount Kongo then," Momohime said. She ran toward the mountain in the distance and then stopped when she heard Yukinojyo say, "wait a moment. Aren't kitsunes not allowed into that shrine?"

Momohime spun around and frowned. Would that mean Kongiku and Yuzuruha would be unable to come with them?

"Usually not," Yuzuruha said, nodding her head. "However, similar to the situation when Jinkuro was trying to reach Heaven through Mount Kongo; a dire predicament. In these situations, we are allowed in."

"I see," Yukinojyo said. "Then, let us go, but I must speak to Momohime on the way to Mount Kongo."

Yuzuruha smiled. "I will not stop you," she said.

Yukinojyo caught up to Momohime. "Walk," he said. "It will be difficult to tell you this while we are running."

She nodded, feeling anxious, biting her lip. She had a feeling that this was not going to be pleasant. "What is it?" she asked, walking. Yukinojyo walked beside her.

"About the marriage..." he said, pausing as if expecting her to interrupt; but she didn't. "The original intent of our engagement seven months ago was to crush the Narukami." Momohime gasped. "After Jinkuro—using your body—defeated me in combat, you saved me. And then I confessed the same to you as I am now. Never had I racked by such guilt. If it weren't me... your father and sister would probably still be alive. As well as your mother. I... I am sorry."

There was silence as they walked side-by-side. Momohime barely heard the others behind her and Yukinojyo. Then he continued.

"After that, the Yagyu clan cut ties with Shikami Danjyo—the one who assembled this plot under Tokugawa's orders—because we realized the wrong we had done. You were missing, and I hoped you would return, Momohime, so that we could get married and restore you to the throne. So, our intentions were noble in the end."

"Wait a minute," Kisuke said, glancing at Yukinojyo. "Tokugawa had Shikami Danjyo _executed_ for his treason against the Kagami family. Why would the Shogun kill him off if he was part of the plot?"

"Simple," Yukinojyo said. "Shikiam Danjyo failed him when Jinkuro exposed the traitor. Tokugawa did not want to be exposed himself, so to appear as if he was against the plot, he executed the former magistrate."

"So, Tokugawa really is behind all of this..." Momohime muttered.

"On a related note, Momohime, do you forgive me for my crimes against your family?" Yukinojyo asked.

"Did I forgive you back then?" Momohime asked, peering at Yukinojyo. She felt angry heat in her chest, but she refrained from hitting him.

"Yes, you did... in my wounded state," he said.

Momohime felt surprised; how had she forgiven him so easily? A vague image came to her mind. She saw a heavily wounded Yukinojyo lying in a futon. They exchanged words, but she couldn't recall what they said to each other.

"Strange..." she said, working her jaw. "I don't understand why I forgave you so easily." Then, she remembered; Momohime had fought Jinkuro to save Yukinojyo. She forced Jinkuro out of her body, surprising the demon.

_"You are not the weak little girl I expected... interesting."_

"I know why now..." Momohime said, rubbing her head—it only stung a tiny bit. "We were friends, and I didn't want Jinkuro to kill you. I forgave you... because you felt so guilty for participating in the plot." She nodded to Yukinojyo, her anger abating. "Then, I shall forgive you now as well. But... those wounds," she added, rising. "How did you survive them?"

"I healed him," said a voice. Momohime stopped and looked around Yukinojyo to see Kongiku standing there. "Forgive me for intruding, but it was under my master's orders to heal Yukinojyo."

He stopped as well. "Wait, you did that? Under Jinkuro's orders?" Yukinojyo asked.

"Yes," she said simply.

"You were right then, Momohime... Jinkuro did change gradually," he said with an awestruck voice. "You were already softening his heart."

"He wouldn't admit that at the time," Momohime said with a smile. "He only said he did it because he couldn't 'stand my whining,' but I agree. I think he had you healed for my sake."

"It's true," Kongiku said, walking up to the both of them. "My master told me to keep it a secret from Momohime that he had you, Yukinojyo, healed because... he saw her cry and he said in the softest voice I had ever heard up to that point, 'heal him. I don't want her to cry like this.'"

Momohime had tears in her eyes again. "He cared that much so early on?" she said; then she smiled. "How sweet and thoughtful of him."

Kongiku smiled at Momohime. "He started thinking a lot about you," the kitsune said.

"Then, let's find Tokugawa and the Muramasa Scepter!" Momohime said, wiping her eyes. "It's time for me to stop crying... and time to take action." _Jinkuro... wait for me._

They nodded at her, and continued their journey to Mount Kongo.

-S-

It was a long journey to the shrine leading to Mount Kongo. The group had rested for the night in the middle of Yamato. Finally, after passing many miles, Momohime and her friends reached the shrine. The sky had turned an orange-red.

_Here it is..._ Momohime thought. _The place where all this madness began._ She bit her lip, feeling slightly nervous. However, she fingered one of her Muramasas, and exhaled. "Well, let's get inside," she ordered.

Her friends followed her as she opened the door to the shrine. It was very quiet inside, not a soul to be found. Momohime felt disturbed by the eerie silence. _Where are all the priests? The monks? This is not right._

"Be on your guard," Kisuke said with a cautious voice. "Who knows what's in here."

"Right," Momohime said. She gripped one of her Muramasas and walked into the shrine.

She heard the footsteps of her allies behind her as she crept through the shrine, checking every corner of every wall and down every corridor. The place seemed to be built like a maze with multiple corridors of wood, and stairs that went up and others that descended beneath the shrine.

"Why... is this shrine made like this?" she mused out loud. "It's too confusing, which way do we go?"

"Possibly constructed as such to keep intruders out," Yuzuruha said.

"Or it's Tokugawa's doing," Yukinojyo said.

Momohime turned to her friends. "Not to mention there is no one here. This is very... strange... very wrong. I had an extremely bad feeling about this place," she said.

"Just keep your guard up and keep going," Kisuke said. He, too, was glancing around the shrine possibly as confused as Momohime. "If Jinkuro took you through here once, maybe you could try and remember how to get to Mount Kongo from here?"

"All right," Momohime said, exhaling. She tried to recall a vision, a memory, or something that could lead her and the group in the right direction.

Suddenly, an image came to her mind: Jinkuro was running ahead in her body across the corridor and Momohime was obviously following him.

_"Be careful, girl. I don't want your soul to get hurt. Get out of the way of any combat."_

_ "I will. Be careful, Jinkuro."_

Momohime blinked, coming back to the present. Her head stung again, but it was nothing compared to what she had experienced days ago. "This way, follow me," she said.

She led them through the silent and empty shrine. Passing various corridors, and stairways that would have left them confused, the group followed Momohime's directions. Momohime was still bothered by how quiet the shrine was—and empty. There didn't seem to be any traps or assassins anywhere, either. Just what happened here?

She stopped and gasped; she was on the third floor and in the rooms, she saw bodies—dead bodies—scattered everywhere. "What...?" Momohime fell to her knees, looking at the scene of blood and death before her and her allies. "What...?" she repeated, unable to say anything else.

"We're a little late, it seems," Kisuke said. "But is this Tokugawa's doing? I mean, look at those slice marks. That's from a blade. Tokugawa uses magic to fight."

Yuzuruha and Kongiku examined the bodies, and Kongiku was the first to react. "These cuts! They're from a Muramasa!" she exclaimed.

"She's right," Yuzuruha said. "These wounds are not from ordinary swords." She had a dark expression on her face. "If Tokugawa uses magic... then who are we chasing?"

Momohime licked her lips. "I don't know," she said. "But... it has to be Tokugawa! Who else can invade dreams?"

"Good point," Kisuke said, biting his lip. "But when did he learn the Oboro Style?"

"I don't know..." Momohime said. She knelt down at one of the bodies. It looked like it belonged to a shrine maiden, but she couldn't tell because the face was mutilated. Only the kimono suggested that the body was female. _Tokugawa will pay for this. He's slaughtered innocents!_

"If he has the Muramasa Scepter," Yukinojyo interjected; he, too was looking at the bodies with a grim expression. "It's possible the Scepter may have given the power to him."

"Just how many things can this Scepter do?" Kisuke asked, doubt in his voice. "The Muramasa Mask can only help one forge Muramasa blades. Why would a different Muramasa artifact do more than one thing?"

"Whoever said it couldn't?" Yukinojyo retorted. "Just because the Muramasa Mask only performs a single task, doesn't mean another artifact can do more."

"Regardless, it doesn't matter," said Momohime a little louder and angrier than she wanted. "He's murdered innocent people here. We can't let him live!" She looked to the others and they nodded slowly. She stood up and nodded to her companions.

Momohime then spun around and ran ahead toward a distant staircase. She climbed it, not bothering to see Kisuke and the others had followed her; though, she assumed as much. It was a large staircase and it seemed to stretch to the heavens.

But that was exactly where Momohime wanted to go. Up and up she went, continually expecting enemies to appear, but none did. Tension was building in the air—she could almost taste it—as she rose up each step.

Finally, an opening appeared before her as she reached the top of the staircase. Beyond, she saw a fiery mountain ahead of her. Pausing, Momohime exhaled and exited the shrine. She kept her hand on her Muramasa and and walked onto the mountain's surface.

She noticed her allies gathering around. They said nothing, and allowed her to lead them across the mountain top.

In the distance, they saw a figure in black, floating a little over the ground. The figure's face was in front of a cliff, not looking at the group. Momohime walked a little closer, ready to draw her Muramasa at a moment's notice.

The figure lifted a pair of ancient arms into the air, the palms of those hands facing the cliff. The rocky surface on the cliff face then melted away, and forged into a scepter. It was gray with red ribbon-like stripes across its body. The top of the scepter was surrounded in wispy, white smoke.

_That must be...!_

Then, a voice sounded from the figure. "So, you've come at last..."

"Tokugawa!" Kisuke exclaimed. Momohime heard him draw his blade. Momohime kept staring ahead, expecting something dramatic to happen.

Tokugawa, still not facing his foes, raised the Scepter into the air and summoned a blade with it. It was obviously a Muramasa. The summoning was not particularly dramatic; the blade just appeared. "Ah, my Kuzuryuu blade," he muttered to himself. "Out of the hands of the Yagyu and into mine."

Scepter in his left hand, Kuzuryuu in his right, Tokugawa slowly turned around to face Momohime and her allies. He was sitting cross-legged and yet floated above the ground. He had a thick, long, white beard. An evil grin spread over his ancient face. "Ah, princess Momohime. It is an honor to see you, your highness." He bowed his head. "I see my invasions of your dreams did not stop you from chasing your identity."

Momohime growled. "If anything, your 'invasions' into my dreams only made me more determined, Tokugawa," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I saw what you did to the people in the shrine. I know what you did to my family. You're a filthy monster that has no right to live."

Tokugawa laughed a cold, evil laugh. "Oh, that's lovely, princess, just like yourself."

Momohime grit her teeth. "You have no right to speak to me like that," she said fiercely.

"Do I?" Tokugawa asked. He unsheathed his sword a little and tapped the top of the Muramasa Scepter on the naked blade. The blade released a faint glow for a second, and then vanished. Tokugawa sheathed it, and turned his eyes back to Momohime.

"I am the Shogun of Japan, and yet I cannot speak to a mere princess of an almost dead clan with a little levity?" He snorted. "Ridiculous. You're as detestable as your sister."

"You murderer..." Momohime reached for her blade.

"You wish to fight already? I thought we could talk a little first," Tokugawa said. "Especially about your 'determination' to find Jinkuro. After all, you almost gave up hope in Mino if I remember correctly."

Momohime's eyes widened. "What? How do you know that?" She asked, thinking about the dream she had in Narukami Castle after Yukinojyo had overloaded her with information.

"I saw it in your last dream," he said, smiling. "You were beginning to fear Jinkuro. I had hoped that you would have surrendered seeking your identity after that."

She relaxed and smirked. "Well, isn't that a shame?" she said. "I had a friend comfort me and tell me about the Spirit Fusion Jinkuro performed. It's quite obvious that he was never seeking to murder me."

"Oh?" he seemed intrigued. "And who comforted you?"

"I did." Kisuke stepped forward. His face was filled with hatred with grit teeth and dagger-like eyes. "She's not going to lose him."

"Ah, Kisuke," Tokugawa said, laughing. "Always quick to be the man to rescue a woman in distress, always the noble Oboro Stylist with a heart of gold." He snorted again. "Such things disgust me."

Kisuke shook with anger, he stepped forward, appearing to ready an attack, but Momohime shot her arm in front of him and shook her head. Despite her own desire to run him through, she needed answers from Tokugawa.

"Tokugawa... why do you want me dead?" Momohime asked. "You've sent assassins continuously and even killed me in some of my nightmares. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious, princess?" Tokugawa sneered. "I need to eliminate all opposition to my reign of Japan. And you, being alive, stand in my way."

"So a 'mere princess of an almost dead clan' is a threat to you?" Momohime asked with a smirk. "You're senile."

"Insults will get you nowhere, princess," Tokugawa said with a smug smile. "Just because your clan is almost dead doesn't mean you are no smaller a threat to me than your family was. Yes... a princess is quite powerful these days. You can decide who of the men in the world will be the Daimyo of your clan either by accepting or rejecting their hand in marriage.

"Oh yes," he continued. "You are quite powerful that way, yet I will not allow a pathetic clan take over my reign. I will rule for all time instead with the Muramasa Scepter and the Kuzuryuu in my hands."

Too bad those dreams will never come true! Just like my nightmares did not!"

"Yet, your dreams did come true, princess. The chains—you are bound to Jinkuro through the Spirit Fusion, and by myself, I could not free you. Jinkuro is the chains that hold you back, and you chose to keep yourself to him."

"What?" Momohime said. "But you could kill me with the ability to split a Spirit Fusion using the Muramasa Scepter."

"Oh, I see," Tokugawa said with interest. "So, you do know what this Scepter is? And what it can do? Relying on myths these days seem to have more realistic results than reality itself."

"And yet," Yuzuruha said. "You do not wish to use it to destroy Momohime using the Scepter?"

"Don't think me a fool, fox!" Tokugawa roared. "I will not waste my energy using it to enact a quick death upon her. No, I want her blood to stain this mountainside, and her body to be ruined upon it by my hand!"

"I don't think so," Momohime said, drawing her Muramasa—it was her grandpa's blade. "You're the one who will die here. Jinkuro's Spirit Fusion gave me his strength and mastery over the Oboro Style. I have used it to destroy demons, tengus, ninjas, and other foes who threatened me. I can and will defeat you."

Tokugawa sighed. "Sad. I was hoping we could talk more," he unsheathed the Kuzuryuu blade. "You will fail, princess. You shall taste death, and it will be the last thing you ever taste!" A powerful aura began surround him.

She heard another sword being drawn, and glanced over to see Yukinojyo ready for battle.

"The combination of two Oboro Masters and a master of Shinkage Style will easily overcome you," Yukinojyo said with a growl.

"It would... if you could fight me." He raised his hand into the air and fired out a blue net of magical energy. It landed on Yuzuruha, Kongiku, Kisuke, and Yukinojyo.

"Damn you, Tokugawa!" Kisuke cursed. He tried to slice the net apart, but it held. Momohime looked helplessly at them for a second and then turned her head to face Tokugawa.

"Don't bother trying to destroy that, Kisuke," Tokugawa said with a cold laugh. "You can't save the princess now." He looked at her. "Come at me, Momohime!"

She knew it was a fool's errand, but she rushed at him anyway. Momohime swung and her blade clashed with her foe's. Shifting back a little, she unleashed its Secret Art: Misty Slash upon Tokugawa. Appearing behind him, and her image in front of him, together, she and her image drew blood from his back and front.

Immediately, Tokugawa spun around, hovering, and attempted to cleave Momohime in two. She jumped out of the way, and launched herself back at him to counter attack when she was blasted by an bolt of lightning.

Momohime skidded against the ground, she could smell burnt clothing. She jumped onto her feet, and glared at her foe. "What was that?" she growled.

"Magic, of course!" He vanished and Momohime peered around to find her target.

"Behind you, Momohime!" Kisuke called out.

She spun around just in time to parry a blow from his own blade. Momohime could feel the low Soul capacity with in her Muramasa. _I have to...!_ Another lightning bolt shot from the sky, forcing her to roll out of the way.

Again, Tokugawa vanished, and Momohime kept her guard up, not yet swapping to her other Muramasa.

Momohime sensed her foe appear behind her again, and she rolled forward. Spinning around, she saw Tokugawa vanish again. "You coward!" Momohime cried out. "Stop vanishing and face me!"

"Ah," Tokugawa's voice echoed throughout the mountain; cloaking his location. "You're not the timid princess you once were. Instead, Jinkuro has given you the fiery soul of a warrior! How delightful."

Another bolt of lightning shot out of the sky; Momohime jumped out of the way, avoiding the attack just barely. Sensing an enemy nearby, she twirled and found herself facing Tokugawa again. He raised his sword, but Momohime rushed forward with a stab toward his heart.

Tokugawa slashed, and their blades clashed again. Momohime's Muramasa broke and the force of her foe's attack pushed her back. Momohime felt pain on her right hand, and she saw that it was bleeding.

Jumping back, Momohime swapped to her other Muramasa, and unleashed a quick draw strike in order to harm her foe at range. To her dismay, Tokugawa deflected it with his own blade.

"What is that sword?!" she exclaimed, frustrated. She brandished her Muramasa at him, biting her lip—his blade didn't look damaged at all.

"Do you not remember me tapping the blade with the Scepter?" he asked, raising the artifact. "The Muramasa Scepter made my Kuzuryuu blade invincible. It cannot break. Rather unfortunate for you."

"No..." Momohime grit her teeth. "I will not lose to you! Even if your sword cannot break!" she roared. She made a dash for him, but her foe vanished again. Another lightning bolt shot at her. Backflipping, Momohime was suddenly struck by yet another lightning bolt. She winced as she crashed to the ground.

Tokugawa appeared above her with his sword ready to cleave her head off. Momohime raised her Muramasa in time to deflect his, knocking him back. She jumped to her feet, and suddenly found herself under siege by her foe.

Momohime desperately tried to block and look for openings to counter Tokugawa, but she could find none. Tokugawa cut across the hamstring of her left leg, and she let out a scream of pain. Momohime attempted to counter, but Tokugawa shifted to the side, avoiding her blade, and cut across her back, slicing open her shoulder blade.

Gasping in pain and feeling the blood leaving her body, Momohime attacked Tokugawa again, letting the adrenaline kick in and keep her alive. Momohime clashed her blade against Tokugawa's again, and then she swept underneath him and slashed at his feet. He jumped back, avoiding the blow.

Her blade was at the end of its Soul capacity, thus, she had no choice. Momohime unleashed Moonlight upon Tokugawa, jumping into the air three times upon him, each time raising a column of purple energy on him.

He looked wounded from the attack, but he didn't seem to be anywhere as wounded as Momohime. He swung in at Momohime and broke her blade. He grabbed her by the throat and then threw her onto the ground opposite of himself.

She gasped, spitting out blood, feeling her back breaking. "Ugh! How...? How did you come back to life?"

"By Inugami's spirit, I was reborn."

"Is... is he really that powerful?" Momohime felt little strength in her left; it was a waste to struggle out of his grasp.

"More than you can imagine, princess. Farewell," he said. He brought down his blade and stabbed her through the chest with extreme force.

Momohime let out a gasp of pain, her eyes flung wide as the blade pierced her heart. After feeling the blade in her twist around painfully, she saw with the last of her strength Tokugawa pull the blade out of her chest, allowing her to fall to the ground.

"_**Momohime!" **_her friends screamed. At least, she thought they did as she slipped into darkness; her life extinguished.


	8. Act 8: Peace at Last

Act 8: Peace at Last

Kisuke watched in horror as Tokugawa slid his Muramasa out of Momohime's chest, letting her limp body fall to the ground. "No! Momohime!" Yukinojyo cried. "How could you, you monster!"

"She fought bravely, and enough blood has been spilled that I do not need to behead her," Tokugawa mused out loud. He turned to the captives. "Ah... you wish to fight for this girl? It is a little late as she has suffered a painful end."

"_**Damn you!**_" Kisuke roared, unleashing a Secret Art upon the net. He began spinning in mid-air and his anger fueled the Art's power and it cut apart the magic net. Kisuke ran over to Momohime's body and slid to his knees. "Momohime!" He shook her body.

No response.

"Momohime!" Kongiku cried falling at her side, too. "No... no! You can't die!" She began to weep. Then, the kitsune placed her hands on the lifeless princess's head. There was a flash of white light upon Momohime and it surged through her body... but nothing happened. "No!" Kongiku moaned. "No, no, no!" She wept, caressing Momohime's head.

"You... you bastard...!" Kisuke growled, shaking from every part of his body. "You will pay!"

"For killing someone that engaged in combat with me?" Tokugawa asked. "She knew the risks, and took the fall into darkness."

Kisuke drew his blade and he heard another blade being drawn—probably Yukinojyo. "I'll take you down again, Tokugawa!" Kisuke roared. "You killed Torahime... now you've murdered her younger sister... I'll make you suffer the most painful death for your deeds!"

Tokugawa laughed. "Yes, you killed me once, but I did not have the Muramasa Scepter ready then. Its power allowed my blade to slay her. Now, I have overpowered the 'master' of the Oboro Style, called such because she was fused with Jinkuro. Do you think you can do any better against me?"

"With Yukinojyo's Shinkage Style at my side, I can!" Kisuke yelled. He lunged for Tokugawa with Yukinojyo at his side when Kisuke heard a female voice that sounded like Momohime's say:

"Don't waste your strength... let _me_ get revenge on him."

Kisuke stopped and saw that Momohime had risen! She was burning with green fire, her eyes had a hard-edged glint and her smile was as wicked.

"What? I killed you!"

"You're a fool, Tokugawa." Momohime's voice was noticeably deeper. "Don't you remember anything about Spirit Fusions? My soul was in hers. You may have killed Momohime, but I still live!"

"Jinkuro...!" Kisuke said with wide eyes, staring at the possessed princess.

"Master?" Kongiku looked slightly afraid as she looked up at Momohime—or Jinkuro. He shot a glance at her, but said nothing to the kitsune. Yuzuruha looked just as shocked; which surprised Kisuke because it seemed like nothing shocked her.

"Jinkuro!" Yukinojyo yelled. Kisuke looked over to see him toss the Kuromistu blade toward Jinkuro. He caught the scabbard and smiled.

"Ah... the Kuromistu blade, how I've missed you," Jinkuro said as he drew the blade slowly. Kisuke could see the blade with twisting black flames around it. "Tokugawa, you will pay with every inch of your life for slaying Momohime." His voice was growing with anger. "That, I swear!"

"Ha!" Tokugawa laughed. "Jinkuro, I killed you the one you gave mastery of the Oboro Style over with this blade. How do you expect to succeed where she failed? Hm?"

"Because she wasn't a complete master of the Oboro Style." He twirled his blade and brandished it at Tokugawa. Even in Momohime's body, Jinkuro looked very formidable. "But _I am._ And it is not the blade that makes the warrior, but the warrior himself! Prepare yourself!"

With inhuman speed, Jinkuro dashed at Tokugawa, slashing and swinging at him with precision and mastery. His blade clashed multiple times with the Kuzuryuu blade, but the Kuromistu blade did not seem to weaken.

Jinkuro sliced across Tokugawa's chest, creating a gaping wound there. Tokugawa roared and swung his blade at the possessed princess, who moved out of the way. Jinkuro jumped behind Tokugawa and sliced across his back where Momohime had struck, creating a deeper wound. He spun around and then stabbed Tokugawa in the back.

Tokugawa spun around to cleave Jinkuro's head (well, Momohime's head) off, but he ducked in time, and swung his blade at a low angle, cutting into Tokugawa's robes and wounding his legs.

Despite his rage and anger, Jinkuro seemed to be a focused warrior as far as Kisuke could tell. It reminded him of their battle on this same mountain.

"How is this possible?" Tokugawa gasped, bleeding heavily. "I should be immortal with this sword."

"No one is immortal with any blade," Jinkuro said with soft fierceness. He spun around and sliced Tokugawa's head off. "And for good measure..." he added, stabbing Tokugawa through the chest and then through his stomach. The old man's fell to the ground like a limp rag and he dropped the Kuzuryuu and the Muramasa Scepter.

Jinkuro grinned. "I have... avenged you... Momohime... gah!" He fell to his knees and grasped his chest.

"Master!" Kongiku ran over to him.

"Jinkuro!" Kisuke and Yukinojyo exclaimed.

"Oh no. Don't you die, too!" Kongiku said, sobbing. "Please! Live! I've already lost one friend today!"

"Kongiku... you blasted fox," Jinkuro scolded her. "This wound is too strong, too deep. There's nothing you can... can... do," he added, coughing up blood.

Yuzuruha walked over to the dying Jinkuro. "Kongiku... let's try uniting our powers," she said. The kitsune in the orange kimono nodded fervently, and placed her hands on Jinkuro's head. Yuzuruha did the same. White light flashed from both their hands and it surged into Momohime's body. There was a pause, and nothing happened.

"I told you that there was nothing you can do..." Jinkuro said, coughing up more blood.

Tears poured from Kongiku's eyes. "No... no... please!"

"Your begging isn't going to save me!"

"But... I..."

"Kongiku," Yuzuruha said. She shook her at her, and Kongiku broke into loud sobs.

Kisuke himself was beginning to cry. _Have I failed? I promised her..._

Yukinojyo walked over to Jinkuro and knelt down. "Thank you for ridding us of a great evil."

"I..." Jinkuro coughed up more blood. "I didn't do it for _you_," he growled. "I did it... for Momohime," he added, his voice growing soft. "Momohime..."

"No!" Kisuke stomped on the ground, his own eyes breaking into tears. "There... there has to be... wait." He then remembered Yuzuruha's words.

_"Interestingly enough... I've also heard that if one uses the Mask and the Scepter together, it creates a power called 'Spirit Forging.' However, no one has ever used it... or there is no legend or myth of anyone using the technique."_

"That's it!" Kisuke shouted. He looked over to where the Muramasa Scepter had been dropped. "Yuzuruha!" He turned to the kitsune. "Give me the Muramasa Mask!"

"Kisuke... what?" Kongiku asked, looking dumbfounded.

"Kisuke... you aren't..." Yuzuruha started.

"Just give me the Mask!" Kisuke ordered. "Now! Don't hesitate!"

"What are you thinking, boy?" Jinkuro asked in disdain.

"Keeping a promise I made to Momohime," Kisuke responded. "Give me the Mask!" he said for the third time. Yuzuruha, nodding, took out a gray mask with red, wispy marks on it and handed it to Kisuke.

He nodded and grabbed the Muramasa Scepter. _How do I combine them?_ He wondered. Shaking his head, he put the Mask on the Scepter's head and pointed it at Jinkuro. "Everyone, get out of the way!"

"But, Kisuke...!" Kongiku protested.

"Just do it, Kongiku," Yukinojyo ordered. He pulled the kitsune away from Momohime's possessed body.

"What are you planning?" Jinkuro asked, shooting a confused glance at Kisuke.

"To bring Momohime back!" he said. With that, Kisuke tried to reach out to the Souls of the Muramasa artifacts, and then, he touched them. A bright, gold light shot out of the Scepter and the Mask and it struck Momohime's body.

Nothing seemed to be happening to Kisuke's frustration. Then, he recalled Tokugawa's words about the Scepter. _"I will not waste my energy using it to enact a quick death upon her."_

He frowned. _Fine, if that's how it has to be. Then I'll..!_ He pushed harder and then felt his life force being drained as he pulsed it through the Scepter. This time, Kisuke could feel life returning to Momohime's body. He thought heard yelling, screaming, but the pain was so strong that he could not make out the words.

Then, he let go; the Scepter and Mask's energy drained. He managed to keep his eyes open long enough to see Momohime in a bright green aura stand and then flash. Out of her appeared a green soul and she, herself, was gasping—standing—alive.

-S-

It was like waking from another nightmare. After she had been struck by the golden light, Momohime opened her eyes and felt life enter into her. Then, the golden light vanished, and she had the strength to stand. There was a flash of green light, and she found herself gasping, holding her chest. She looked around.

"I'm alive?" she asked out loud.

"Yes, yes you are, Momohime," said a very deep voice next to her. Deep enough that it nearly made her jump.

_That voice..._ she thought. She turned to her left and saw the green soul. Tears broke into her eyes because she knew exactly who it was. "Jinkuro... Jinkuro!" A smile spread over her face. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Jinkuro smiled. "I know you have. I've been with you the whole time, Momohime," he said with a gentle voice. "However, it's good to see your face again from the outside."

Momohime sniffled and clasped her hands together. "It's wonderful to see you again, too, Jinkuro." She walked toward him, but then heard a body fall to the ground. She looked over and gasped, seeing Kisuke on the ground with the Muramasa Scepter on the ground and the Mask beside it. "Kisuke!"

She ran over to him, and felt Jinkuro's presence next to her. Then, Kongiku, Yukinojyo, and Yuzuruha came and gathered around the dying boy.

"Kisuke..." Momohime repeated.

"There... I told you..." he said, coughing. "I told you that I wouldn't let you lose Jinkuro like I lost Torahime." There was a triumphant smile on his face.

"Kisuke!" Kongiku exclaimed. "Not you, too!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Kongiku!" Jinkuro scolded her again. "Momohime and I are alive now."

"I know. I know," she said. "And I'm happy that you are, but..." she broke into tears again. "I'm going to lose a friend... Wait! Yuzuruha, let's try again! Maybe it'll work on Kisuke!"

Yuzuruha nodded and she raised her hands with Kongiku's to place them on his head, but he pushed them away. "What? Kisuke! Don't you wish to live?" Yuzuruha asked.

"No," Kisuke said. "It's fine... besides, I can see into Heaven from here." A calm smile appeared on his face. "I see Torahime... she's waiting for me. Jinkuro... promise me... that you'll always be kind and tender to Momohime; never abuse her, and, Momohime, always love him. No matter what. This... is my last... request."

Momohime nodded at him. "I will. I promise," she said.

"I promise as well," Jinkuro said. "Go, and rest with your loved one."

"Thank you... both," Kisuke said, closing his eyes and exhaling his last breath.

"Rest in peace, my friend," Momohime said softly, smiling at him, and letting her tears drop onto his chest.

-S-

_One week later..._

"Do I really have to meet them?" Jinkuro complained from Momohime's pouch. "They're just an elderly couple!"

"Jinkuro..." Momohime said with a sigh. "They also took care of me for half a year after you performed the Spirit Fusion. Be nice, all right?"

"Very well," the soul muttered. "I'll be nice for _your _sake, not theirs!"

Momohime groaned, but it was the best she could do. Soon, she saw her grandparents' home in the distance. She ran toward it and stopped when she reached the very front of the humble abode.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Momohime called out. She was standing in front of the blue canopy that led into her grandparents' home. "Huh... where are they?" she mused out loud. Then, there was movement from within the house. The curtain opened up, and grandma appeared.

"Oh! Oboro! You're back! And you look so beautiful, too!" It was true, Momohime's kimono had been cleaned and repaired (along with the armor, but she wasn't wearing it now), and she was looking the part. Grandma hugged her and Momohime accepted the embrace, returning it with her own.

Then, an elderly man came out of the house—grandpa—he smiled widely when he saw Momohime. "Oboro!" he exclaimed. Grandma and Momohime let go. "You've returned to us at last! It's been over a month. Oh, how glad I am to see your pretty face again!"

"I'm happy to see you both so well and safe," she said, smiling broadly. "But... I discovered my name is not 'Oboro.' My real name is Momohime."

They shot shocked looks at her. "Momohime!? Do you mean... princess Momohime?" Grandma asked, her mouth gaping. Momohime nodded. "Oh my!" She and Grandpa were about to get on their knees when she stopped them, lifting them to their feet.

"No, no, no!" Momohime said with a giggle. "Even if I ever became empress, you two will _never _bow to me. Never! You took care of me for so long that... you're family to me. No matter what."

"All right, dear child," Grandpa said. He turned to Grandma. "I cannot believe we were taking care of a princess for all this time!"

Grandma nodded. "I feel honored."

Momohime giggled again.

"So, Ob—I mean, Momohime, did you find Jinkuro?" Grandpa asked. "You left to find your identity, and you have. So, I wonder if you found what else you were looking for."

"I did," Momohime said rather cheerfully. "You see, the reason I was seeking Jinkuro in my dreams is because... I love him. He did something wonderful for me." She explained a short version of the story on Mount Kongo, finishing with the Spirit Fusion. "He really loved me."

Grandma was in happy tears. "Oh! That's very loving of him! Where the sweet man so we can meet him?" she asked, looking around. "I don't see a man with you."

"That's because... I'm not _necessarily_ a man," a voice said. Then Jinkuro flew out of Momohime's pouch. "Greetings."

Grandma let out a shriek of surprise, and Grandpa's jaw dropped to the floor.

"Oh! Relax!" Jinkuro growled. "Haven't you—"

"Jinkuro... Jinkuro..." Momohime said with a soothing voice. "Calm down, please. Be nice."

The soul looked abashed. "I'm sorry," he said to Grandpa and Grandma.

"This is Jinkuro?" they asked at the same time, looking utterly shocked.

Momohime nodded. "Yes. He's a soul because he lost his body a long time ago. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have taken mine and eventually used the Spirit Fusion to save me," she explained. "That's also how I was to defeat the onis that came to our home one day. Jinkuro's power was transferred to me, so I was able to fight like him. And even though we're separate now, I can still use the Oboro Style."

"Amazing..." Grandma said very slowly. "But what happened to your body, Jinkuro?"

"It's a very complicated and long story," he said, sounding a little tired. "Perhaps I can share it with you another time?" The two nodded. "Good."

"Now then, do you want to hear about my adventure to find out who I was?" Momohime asked eagerly.

"Of course!" Grandpa said with a smile. "Tell us everything!"

Momohime laughed, and clapped her hands together twice. "All right." They took her and Jinkuro inside as she began to tell them all about her journey.

-S-

Momohime placed the sakura flowers in front of the grave. "I hope you are finding peace with my sister, Kisuke," she said to the stone in front of her. She smiled. After a moment of meditation, she stood up and looked at Jinkuro, who had been floating silently there for a long time next to his servant Kongiku.

Kongiku and Momohime embraced, there were tears in both their eyes.

"I'll miss him," the kitsune said, almost a whisper.

"Me, too," Momohime replied. The two let go of each other.

Jinkuro groaned. "Are you two done yet?"

Momohime giggled. "Yes, we are," she said, putting her hands behind her waist. "Jinkuro, let's go on an adventure."

"An adventure? For what?" he asked with curiosity.

"To find you a new body or restore your old one, of course," she said. Momohime walked up to Jinkuro's soul. She couldn't touch him, but she brought her nose close to him as if to kiss him. She even made the motion. Then, she drew back, satisfied with the happy expression on his face.

"Of course! We have the Kuromitsu blade after all," he said. Jinkuro grinned. "It will be a simple task to restore me with that Muramasa."

"That's what I thought about finding out about my past," Momohime said with a chuckle.

Then, she heard Kongiku's voice next to her. "I'm coming with you two!" she exclaimed. Momohime glanced over and saw that she had transformed into a white fox. "And you cannot dissuade me from coming."

"Kongiku..." Jinkuro said.

"It's all right," Momohime said, beaming. "Yes, you can come... 'Kiku.'"

"Thank you, Momohime," Kongiku said.

Momohime looked from Jinkuro to the kitsune. "Well, let's go then!" The two nodded at her, and she ran ahead, taking the leave. Where were they going? She didn't know, but it would be fun to find out! Perhaps... the cloaked man on Mount Fuji could help? She wasn't sure, but perhaps that's where they should start.

Together, the three ran off into the mists, fearing no danger, and Momohime could not have been happier.

THE END


End file.
